Thunder and Roses
by The Brother Anton
Summary: REUPLOAD: Sequel to Petals and Chains; AU The palace behind them, the prince and bandit must now make the long trek to a new hideout, but tensions run higher than ever as a figure from Souichi's past ruthlessly pursues the duo, leaving them in a constant state of paranoia and fear.
1. Chapter 1

Whatever had been poured into this bottle to create the liquid within had to have been laced with drugs, for the taste gracing my lips tasted better and sweeter than any wine I'd ever swallowed before. It felt like fairies and pixies danced on my tongue, magical dust falling out of their little pockets to sharpen my sense of taste tenfold. And then they threw balls of rainbows to one another, and sunlight radiated off of their tiny bodies to brighten the liquid's flavor.

Holy fucking _shit_ , I was drunk!

Easily I could've drained the entire bottle, and I would've, too, had it not been pulled out of my mouth forcibly. The little and not-real celebration in my mouth screeched to a halt, and I turned to look at the light-orange-haired fuckface at my side. That fuckface held the bottle of euphoria in his hand, and he wore an amused smile on his almost too-perfect face.

"Having fun there?" Ikasma asked, a teasing tone dancing on his voice.

"Shut...shut up…" I mumbled. "Gimme 'at back!" I reached for the bottle, which Ikasma held in his lap. Wait, no...no, he held _two_ in his lap! There were two bottles! How the fuck did he do that?! Was...was he magical? Was one of these wines he brought magical? Did he drink it to become magical? Would...would _I_ become magical…?!

Just when I grazed my fingertips across the glass neck, Ikasma lifted the bottle up. With a soft growl I reached up to grab it, but my knees seemed to hate me today. The left one moved a little too far to the left, and then I fell to the left as well. I hit my head off the floor and stayed that way, my face facing the hardwood surface.

Ikasma laughed under his breath. I turned my head to glare at him, though it had to have looked weak. I _was_ laying on the floor, after all, and he _was_ above me…

"You should probably stop," he advised.

"So should you!" I retorted. "And I still want th-the bottle...so gimme it!"

"You're sure you can handle it?" he asked doubtfully. "You've had a lot already."

"No...that's only my…" I paused, directing my eyes at the pile of bottles in the corner. "One, three, four, two...sixth one!"

Ikasma laughed again. "You're so drunk you can't even count straight. You've had five, Souichi. You should really stop."

"I'm fine! I'll stop after that one."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I pr...I promise."

He sighed. "All right," he allowed. Ikasma set the bottle down, and immediately I snatched its little bastard ass up from the floor and returned it to my mouth. _It's fine, bottle,_ I said to it mentally. _You're home now. Where you belong._ I drank him—the bottle was a 'him,' clearly, since it had a long neck—with a smile, and once again the woodland creatures partied in my mouth.

But then he was empty, and then my mouth was empty, and then I was sad. And I made sure he knew, too—the bottle, not Ikasma. Ikasma knew I was sad, since he was a person, but the bottle...was a bottle. And he didn't have eyes or ears or any other body parts. Just glass. But it could feel. And now it could feel that I was sad.

"You won't die from not drinking," Ikasma assured. "Hell, you'll probably die _from_ drinking if you do it too much."

"Don't preach to me 'bout not drinking," I snapped. "You're not my mother."

He sighed. "I know. I'm your leader." He leaned over and kissed my cheek. "And you one of my trusted followers."

I felt heat creep onto my cheeks at his actions. It felt strange when he did this shit. We both had dicks, after all. But it never felt bad. Like it was going against the natural order of things, yeah, but never _bad._ Hell, it even felt good, whenever hit the right spots. But eleven times out of five it felt strange as shit.

"You have an adorable blush," he murmured.

"Shut up," I grumbled. "'s not adorable…"

He laughed under his breath, as if to mock me. "Still in denial, I see. Such a shame." His lips brushed against my own, and a glint of some nature appeared in his eye. "Don't worry, though. I'll get you out of that soon enough."

* * *

Intense pain burst in the back of my head as it cracked against something hard, and immediately all chances of falling back asleep died in a pit of fire. Whether that had dragged me out of the dream or the dream had done it itself, I didn't know, but either way I welcomed the view I had of the forest. Darkness still hung over the treetops, but it didn't necessarily feel like night. It was probably somewhere in the asscrack of time, in those three or so hours where it wasn't night but it wasn't morning, either. If that asscrack was an actual asscrack, I'd shove my foot so far inside that those three hours would leave existence until generations after I'd died out of fear. I liked that idea. Now all I needed was the asscrack...

As I contemplated utilizing witchcraft in order to make those hours physical entities, I rubbed the back of my head. As far as I could tell, no blood seeped from any cuts. There'd probably a bruise or two, and maybe a minor scratch, but nothing that excessive. Good. I didn't need the overbearing bastard being an overbearing bastard.

The fire we'd lit the night before had died long ago, though tiny tendrils of smoke still plumed from the blackened sticks. After his unforeseen assault on my mouth, I'd moved to the side of the fire opposite where he'd lain after _my_ unforeseen assault on his head. He hadn't remained there, clearly, since nothing occupied that spot. Knowing him as I did, all I had to do was glance to the left to find him. Sure enough, there he was, a few feet away, completely lost in the Asscrack Hours.

My gaze went flatter the longer I stared at him. He looked so damn peaceful, as if he'd never left the safety of civilized life. As if there was no possibility of his skull being pierced by an arrow or a blade. Hell, that might have happened anyway. I've been told that I had a short, violent temper, and Morinaga seemed to just _love_ toying with it. Such an annoying bastard to deal with. I never should've let him come with me. He'd only hinder me from doing what I needed to in order to return to my former life. More risk, more danger, and more trouble. I should've left him by now.

But it wasn't like that. I couldn't just leave him here on his own. He'd never make it. Well, he _could_ probably handle himself in a fight. He was relatively strong, and with the right motivation he could end up causing serious damage to someone. But even with that strength, he lacked the mentality to back it. He was too civilized, too clean. He could have a knife actively slicing his throat open and still try to negotiate with words. He needed knowledge. How to fight in the criminal world, who to and not to fuck with, intimidation tactics—and most importantly, how and when to kill. The last would be the most difficult skill to teach him. It hadn't been much effort getting myself in that mindset. I didn't _enjoy_ killing by any means, but I did know that sometimes it was unavoidable.

I groaned, but not from the reality of having to teach him shit. That dream...why now? That'd happened _long_ ago. Was it stress? Yeah, it was. It had to be. Stress from being back in these woods and knowing that he knew I was alive. Nothing more. Well, there was some worry in there, too, but that was only natural. I'd encountered death far more than I would've liked over the past few months, and here I was now, thrown into a pit of death. Not only that, but I was also in that pit with another person who had nothing to do with the events of the past.

He was stupid as hell for coming with me, but he meant well enough. Having him with me _would_ help if we got into conflict...and it wasn't as if he was totally useless…

With a sigh I leaned back against the tree I'd injured myself on earlier and closed my eyes. Hopefully this wouldn't be as terrible as I'd initially imagined.


	2. Chapter 2

Rather than next to a sleeping angel that breathed in and out softly, I awoke to a newly-created fire and a victorious exclamation of, "I win, you son of a bitch!"

He was nowhere in the vicinity that I could see, but based on that shout, he wasn't far. He'd probably gone off hunting for smaller game, like rabbits or squirrels. Though in all honesty I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd dragged a bear back to our makeshift campsite. That was probably unrealistic, though, even for him.

Instead of longing for him like I was tempted to do, I decided to forcefully drag myself out of sleep's warm embrace. What time was it? Seven? Eight? It was early enough to be morning, but it was late enough for light to shine between the branches. At least there was light. Around midnight I'd been roused from sleep by...something and struggled a bit to catch the next ferry to dreamland. After maybe fifteen minutes of rolling around in an attempt to get comfortable, I decided to seize the opportunity my awakened state allowed and slithered closer to Souichi. I'd gone slowly, of course, so I didn't also rouse him. He'd probably end up hitting me if I woke him up. Well, he'd also probably hit me if I got within a few feet of him, but at the time I was too overtired to consider that. All that was on my mind was holding him.

I'd gotten about three feet from him before collapsing and falling asleep again.

A few minutes passed, and Souichi returned holding three actively bleeding rabbits by their ears. Following a lesson in skinning and roasting, we consumed our minimal breakfast with minimal words passing between us. That silence continued after we'd extinguished the fire, and it even lasted for another hour while we traveled through the forest. I probably could've navigated this place by myself, but it would've taken days. Not only that, but I would've gotten extremely injured at least five times, twice by human attackers, twice by animals, and once by my own stupidity. Souichi, however, made it extremely apparent that he'd traversed these woods before, or at least made a great effort in faking it. Whether it was genuine or just to prove his superiority to me in this area, I didn't know, but then again I didn't really care. At least with him I knew that we weren't going to walk into total danger and destruction. Just the small, necessary amount that came with adventure.

"Ah...Senpai?"

"Stop calling me that."

I blinked. Now he expressed distaste? "Why not?"

"Because it isn't necessary."

"I...I don't follow."

He let out an exasperated sigh. "I didn't think you would. It's a regional thing in Reinorok. It's a title used for someone in your peer group but higher than you. For example, if we were in school and I was above you, that's when you'd use it. We are in no such setting, however, so there's no need. Just call me by my name."

"Last or first?"

"Do I look like I care?"

Rarely did I find his expressions insightful to his feelings, but I said nothing on the matter. Instead, I shifted the topic to another that had been prodding at me since before we'd escaped. "Where are we going?"

"Scavenging," he replied, "for supplies and funds."

"I didn't mean it that way. I meant where are we going? As in, our destination overall."

"Oh. You should've said so. Well, since I'm not particularly fond about going anywhere else—surprisingly—back to my ring. Though it won't be the same as before by any means."

I furrowed my brow. "How so?"

"Well, I'm planning on changing a few things. Mostly the nature of our business. It's become painfully apparent that kidnapping for ransom isn't the best idea. Especially if we piss off the wrong people."

"Having one's life threatened does usually lead to that realization," I agreed. "So what'll you go to, then?"

"We won't go _to_ anything. We'll just go _back_ to what we _were_ doing. The smuggling and creating of drugs and other illegal substances."

He didn't smile fully, but his tone did lift a little. Seemed he had an affinity for poisons and drugs. I wasn't sure whether that'd help me or harm me in the future.

"What about you? Where do you plan on going?"

I stared at him. "Uh...with you…?"

"Even after I reach my destination?"

"I don't really have anywhere else to go. So...I just assumed that I'd be coming with you."

His gaze was flat but not angered. "You know what that means, right?"

I nodded. "That I'll have to completely shift my mindset. I heard you when you said it before."

"Sometimes I'm not so convinced," he mumbled. "But just to clarify, you _are_ willing to do what you need to do and what I need you to do in order to survive, right?"

I nodded again.

"Really?" He let out a soft noise of disbelief before turning his head away and continuing on.

Well, that sounded ominous.

* * *

About an hour later, we stumbled upon a campsite that occupied an otherwise barren clearing. Two tents stood piked into the ground, open to reveal their rumpled innards. A metal pan sat over a now-extinguished fire. One bag sat unattended beside the fire, looking full but not stuffed.

"Whose is this?" I asked.

"The hell should I know? I don't know _every_ person who inhabits the woods."

"No, not that. I meant does it look like any of the Bloods' camps?"

"Oh. No, this isn't theirs. If it was, there'd be a symbol sewn into the side of the tents or the bag or something to scare others away. If this does belong to a group of any sort, they're either just starting out or they're so small and insignificant to need one. They're probably just merchants or maybe even normal people." Stepping further into the clearing, Souichi unslung his bow from around his shoulder. "You search the bag and the tents. I'll get these."

After a bit of glancing around, I found that 'these' referred to three small sacks hanging from a tree branch. After a bit of thinking, I realized what he wanted me to do.

"So we're just...taking their things?"

"Yeah." He released the first arrow, and the rope that the sack hung from split in two. "Get on it now. I don't know when they'll come back, nor if they're the passive type. Unless you _can't_."

So _that's_ what he'd meant. This was a test to see if I was able to steal. He may not have known precisely whenever we'd come across one, but he'd planned on taking me to a campsite or isolated cabin with the sole intention of testing me.

It'd be easy to do. I wouldn't try to deny that. No one was here, and in woods this vast, it'd be difficult to track down the exact thieves. But for all that we knew, we could be stealing the only things that these people ever owned. They could starve without these belongings. And if they didn't belong to whoever had occupied this campsite before us, they probably would belong to someone else. Maybe this was a delivery. Maybe this delivery was worth more than everything they'd ever owned.

I hovered over the bag, my fingers barely grazing the burlap top. My eyes went over my shoulder. The three sacks had all fallen to the ground, and Souichi was carelessly but purposefully pulling out the various items inside. All of this was so effortless for him. Then again, this had been his life since he was eighteen, and maybe even before then. His lack of hesitance would've been alarming to most, but to me it wasn't. Stealing was wrong, but in this case, there was a meaning behind it. He wasn't stealing for fun; he was stealing out of necessity. And what kind of companion would I be if I didn't help him?

Pushing all my inhibitions down enough that I couldn't feel them anymore, I rooted through the bag. For the most part there wasn't much there of value. Mostly bandages and clothes that I knew wouldn't fit either of us. Buried under those clothes, however, were small vials of multiple colors. Each had names, but I didn't recognize any of them. The only thing I knew was that a skull indicated poison. I took as many as I could, grabbing blindly out of ignorance. I also took a few rolls of bandages. Even if the bag's owner needed them, they didn't need _that_ many.

Upon searching the tents, I found two small bags that held gold coins. Rather than take both bags, I took the entirety of one and a bit out of the other. When I exited the tents, I found Souichi waiting for me with a bag over his shoulder and another in his hand. I took the one he held and dropped my findings into it.

"How'd you make out?"

"Money and medicine," I replied.

His eyes lit up at the latter. "You sure they're medicines and not poisons?"

"Some are poisons, but I don't think all of them are."

"Are they marked? With names?"

I nodded.

"Good. Sometimes a skull isn't enough. I'll take a look at them whenever we're in a position to rest. For now, we need to find a village."

"What for?"

"Well, we could buy some supplies, but I doubt we won't be able to find everything we need through stealing. Mostly I want to secure our bearings so we know where we're going."

Wandering blindly wouldn't be the best option, even with someone who knew the terrain relatively well. "Could we secure rides, too?"

"Oh, good thinking. I hadn't considered that. We could probably steal or intimidate someone into giving us a horse or two."

"I doubt intimidation will be that hard."

He stared up at me. "What does that mean?"

I smiled faintly. "You know what I mean. You're pretty intimidating if you want to be."

"Ah." His gaze returned to the forest ahead of us. "Well, you're right."

"What all did you find?" I asked. "There had to be a lot in those bags."

"There was, but I had to gauge what we really needed. They tied up their food so it'd be safe from animals—a good tip for you to know. It was mostly fruit and dried deer. Not that we couldn't use the food, but we didn't need three sackfuls. We should be fine for the next three or four days."

A thought struck me. "What about water?"

"Canteen's in there, too. And there should be a lot of streams around here."

I nodded. "Good. That's more important than food, after all."

"Yeah. You know, usually I'd be annoyed with all of this concern. But it's actually nice. It shows that you're getting into the mindset I want you to be in. If you keep that up, we'll probably be able to make it through this journey without me stabbing you."

It was backhanded, but it was still a compliment. Hopefully we could also make it through this journey without too many emotional stabs.


	3. Chapter 3

Four apples, two campsites, and one shouting match later, we managed to reach a paved road as opposed to dirt and animal shit. Granted, it was a welcome sight, since that meant we weren't too far off from civilized life. However, not being too far off from civilized life meant not being too far off from other people. I _was_ known as antisocial in technical terms, but that had little to do with my unease. This road didn't run through the forest, instead slithering alongside it, leaving it completely uncovered by trees or otherwise. If someone wanted to find us, they would find us easily. And if that someone wanted to fight, there wasn't much room for cover. Good for close fighting, but I preferred long range.

Initially I'd wanted to completely avoid the road, but Morinaga made it painfully apparent that it wasn't an option. Not because of my reasons not being valid, but because it'd make the trip to find a legitimate settlement easier. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't argue with him. It'd just be me shouting nonsense reasons at him and him shouting actual reasons back. So I walked alongside him as we strolled our way down the road to danger.

"I just thought of something," Morinaga piped.

I glanced his way. "What?"

"What am I supposed to tell people if they ask me who I am?"

I shrugged. It was a valid question, and one that I hadn't thought of for awhile, at that. "Whatever you want. This whole 'leaving your former life behind' ordeal is a chance for you to reinvent yourself. To create a persona of your own that isn't surrounded by stereotypes and reputation." I smirked to myself; that sounded even more philosophical than I'd originally expected.

"I guess you're right…" His eyes went to the ground, and a thoughtful look occupied his face. "What should I do…?"

The fire that fueled his mind started burning, and the one in my own flared up. "Fair warning, though," I started, "don't make your new 'persona' too unrealistic. If you make up too many lies, you'll get lost in them. Some people might take you at face value, but any smart person will look into shit. I don't want your bones broken or your neck snapped by anyone except for me."

He smiled at that, oddly enough. It wasn't meant as endearing. "Don't worry. I'll keep it as legitimate and believable as I can."

"To be honest, you don't have to do much. Hell, you could just change your last name and be fine."

"I'm considering that."

"Bullshit, you are."

"Why the doubt?"

"Because you think like a child, and children love playing pretend."

He let out a sigh, but I couldn't tell if it was lighthearted or exasperated. "You're not entirely wrong. But I won't let my mind wander too far. I like having my bones intact."

"Most do."

Another sigh drifted from his mouth, though this time it was definitely light. "I like this."

"Like what? Walking on roads?"

"No. Traveling freely. Or, more specifically, traveling freely with you."

I glanced away from him. "I'm not exactly the ideal traveling companion."

"You're a bit irritable at times," he agreed, "but I wouldn't want anyone else with me."

Now heat crept its way onto my cheeks. "Are you just saying that because you love me?"

"Partially. But I'd still say it even if I wasn't. You're really knowledgeable when it comes to survival and fighting. Granted, there's probably people out there who know more than you do, but you don't act like you know everything. And if you're not angry, you're easy to talk to."

This kind of endearment warmed me and stabbed me at the same time. Everyone enjoyed praise and compliments, but at this point I feared for more than just his eyes. Was I easy to talk to? I'd always thought that I wasn't different from anyone else when it came to that, but I did struggle with idle banter, since I hated anything idle. No one had ever affirmed my previous thoughts. It _was_ Morinaga speaking, but...that made it better in some ways.

I blinked. That made it better? The fact that the compliment came from him made it better? Why? He wasn't special. Or, at least, he wasn't _that_ special. Was he? He'd saved my life and given me an opportunity to stay alive afterward. Not everyone was capable of that, so by that logic, he was special. But...oh! It was because I was stuck with him for this journey! That's why it felt better! If it was someone I barely knew or would barely spend time with, it wouldn't have been as impactful because it would've meant less. Yeah, that had to be it. What else could it have been?

Lost in my own little world of contemplation, I only barely noticed the world around me. It wasn't until I felt warmth press against my cheek that I realized Morinaga held me against him. And had kissed me. In the middle of a road. In public. Where people could see us.

I kneed him between the legs without a moment's hesitation.

Immediately he collapsed to his knees, and an intense whine wheezed its way out of his throat. He held his bruising crotch with visible tenseness, and a grimace twisted his face up in five different directions. His body trembled, then his head shot back, and he screeched into the air.

"Why would you do that?!" he wailed.

"You know why!" I spat back. "Don't do that shit in public!"

"But no one's around!"

"You don't know that! Don't do stupid shit without asking first!"

"I'm sorry…!" Now he wasn't just screaming—he was _crying_ , too. "But did you _have_ to kick me?"

"No," I allowed. "But now you won't do it again. Will you?"

With a sniffle he shook his head. "But still…"

"There's no 'but still.' Now get up. Your screaming probably attracted bandits. Or animals. Or both."

Though still visibly pained, he managed to rise to his feet and trudge alongside me. I guess it _was_ a bit low to kick him in the balls. But it wasn't like he didn't deserve it. Kissing me in the middle of the damn road...what was the fucker thinking?

Oh, he was special. Definitely. _Especially stupid_.

* * *

By the time the sky displayed hues of orange and pink, Prince Bruised Balls and I had managed to find a little village of barely a hundred people and less than ten buildings that stood on either sides of the road we'd been traveling on. We may have been in the asscrack of the countryside, but at least it wasn't just a bunch of trees and rocks. Not only that, but if we were attacked here, we could see our attacker coming.

"So where to?" Morinaga asked.

"Where do you think?"

"To get supplies?"

"No, dumbass. I escaped death twice and you renounced your family. We're drinking until we either pass out or get thrown out."

He stared. "Are...are you sure that's a good idea?"

"First off, it's the _best_ idea. Second, I'm not stupid. Bars are a great place to pick up information. Alcohol's great for loosening lips."

"Doesn't that mean we're at risk, too?"

"Not if one of us remains sober." I poked his chest. "Meaning you."

His eyes widened "What? Why do _I_ have to stay sober?"

"Because you weren't almost killed twice and I'm still pissed at you."

His shoulders sagged, but he didn't fight me. Instead he followed me into the tiny bar that only hosted about three patrons—old men who were probably reminiscing their youth. They paid us no mind when we walked in, and they didn't look like anything threatening. At least, not at first glance.

We seated ourselves at the end of the bar, and the grumpy-looking bastard who stood behind it set two full bottles of ale in front of us without any words accompanying them. Some would've considered that bad service, but it wasn't as if I _wanted_ to talk to him. I just wanted to drink enough to forget the nightmare of yesterday. Ikasma...why now? I'd initially thought it was stress, but _was_ it stress? If it was, then it should've happened back when I was being tortured at the palace. Then again, that was more of my life being threatened than stress. And this whole ordeal now wasn't stress, either. Was it paranoia? That'd make more sense than stress. Come to think, I _had_ experienced nightmares like or worse than that back whenever I'd escaped the first time...

A bottle and a half later, I finally noticed that Morinaga hadn't done anything but stare at me. After swallowing the liquid in my mouth, I set the bottle down next to him. "You want any?"

"I thought you said I shouldn't."

"I did. But you look sad, so…" I nudged it closer.

Though it was a little weak, he did smile and take a sip. "It's kind of bitter," he commented.

I rolled my eyes. "You're just used to the rich shit."

A little more strength seeped into his smile. "Maybe so. I've also never been a heavy drinker. So maybe I'm just not used to it like you are."

I scowled at him. "You implying that I have a drinking problem?"

He blinked. "N-No, no, nothing like that. You've probably been doing it for longer than I have. When did you start? Eighteen?"

I glanced away. "Fifteen…"

"Really?"

"It didn't get heavier until I was eighteen, though. When did you start? Last year?"

"Twenty."

"And you're...what now? Twenty-two?"

"Twenty-three."

"Same shit. That's probably why, then. But believe me, a few more months around me and you'll suck it down like water."

"I'm a bit doubtful. Here." He set the half-empty bottle next to me.

"Don't be. Doubt's distracting."

A few more gulps and the second bottle was empty. Odd. I was barely delirious but already Ikasma was barely a thought in my mind. What the hell kind of sorcery had Morinaga performed on me? Eh, it didn't matter. At least it wasn't sorcery that resulted in strange shit happening to my body.

"Order more," I instructed. "Shit's empty."

He didn't say anything. I'd initially thought that he'd been trying to figure out what kind of ale it was, but after looking at him, I saw his gaze was directed behind us. I followed his eyes, and my own widened partially in amazement. Clearly someone versed in the world of criminals, a woman with a patch covering her left eye and charms made of bones threaded throughout her hair. From the waist down her clothes were masculine, but it didn't take long to see why Morinaga had gotten distracted. Either it was too small or it was designed that way, but the leather corset she wore made her tits nearly burst out.

"Gods," Morinaga mumbled.

"I know. Really impressive."

He looked at me with something between betrayal and confusion in his eyes. "Impressive?"

"Yeah. They should've fallen out a long time ago. It's impressed that they're still in."

"And you feel...what because of that?"

"What do you mean, what do I feel?"

"Well...are you...aroused by them, or…?"

Now that I'd heard that, I was glad that he hadn't ordered any more booze. I would've choked on it. "Aroused? Really?"

His face reddened, and his tone got defensive. "What? I'm curious!"

"Why do you care? It's not like it matters to you."

"I know that. But...I don't know what it's like to be attracted to women, so I was curious…"

I chuckled a little. "You're fucking absurd. Even if there is attraction, I'm too impressed to feel it. Calm your shit and get more booze."

Finally he ordered another bottle. The moment I reached for it, though, a hand with black nails snatched it. Unsurprisingly, it was the woman.

"You know, I couldn't help but hear your little conversation," she said.

"Well, if you didn't want them talked about you should've contained them better," I replied.

She rolled her one eye. "That's not why I'm here. Besides, they're out on display like this for a reason."

"Why? You a whore?"

Morinaga, who unbeknownst to me had been sipping from the bottle of ale, choked on it and flashed me a horrified gaze. The woman, however, wasn't the least bit offended. In fact, she laughed a little. "No, no, nothing like that. They just make wonderful distractions."

It wasn't like she was wrong. If she really wanted to, she could poison someone without having to be overly covert about it. The person being poisoned wouldn't have their eyes on their surroundings, anyway.

"Then why're you here if not to solicit sex and money from us?"

"To offer assistance."

I quirked a brow. "Assistance?"

She nodded and slid into the seat next to mine. "I should probably introduce myself. Most know me as Bust."

"I'm not surprised."

Whether she heard me or just ignored me, I didn't know, but she just continued, "I know who you are."

"What do you mean, know who I am?"

She pulled back a cloth cuff on her wrist. Tattooed there was the image of a knife wrapped in ivy leaves. My heart tensed. "You're an Edge?"

"Was. A long time ago. After he cheated me out of payment from a job that had me almost killed three times and got him rich, I abandoned the group about five years ago."

So Ikasma had been busy with more than just searching for me. I'd never met a member of that particular assassination ring, known officially as the Ivy Edges, but I had heard of them. They were just like any other service that offered to kill people, but instead of using blades or arrows, they used poisons, and they only went after high-profile targets. Nobles and tycoons and sometimes even other assassins. Only extremely skillful assassins became Edges, and last that I'd heard of them, there were only about ten members. Considering what she'd just told me, I understood why.

Her voice lowered. "I know you're Silver, and I know you're under threat if you're here long. There's a camp of Bloods not far from this village that's looking for you."

I quirked a brow but not for the reason Bust probably suspected. The Silver Bloods had a great number of camps scattered about a great number of forests due to their various purposes, so that didn't surprise me in the least. What did surprise, me however, was how their purpose had already switched to finding me.

"So you're suggesting that I leave as quickly as I can?"

"Yes," she replied. "But it'd also be wise to take them out now. Send a message to Ikasma."

I tapped my finger against the bar top. "All right," I agreed. "I'll send him a message."


	4. Chapter 4

After paying for the ale Souichi had ordered with the funds we'd stolen from the campsites, we followed Bust's lead and exited the bar. I lingered closer to Souichi than was probably necessary, but I at least had a legitimate reason that I could use if he asked. He'd drunken quite a bit back there, and though it was slight his steps possessed a stagger to them. If he fell, it was up to either me or Bust to catch him. Maybe jealousy spoke for me, but she didn't seem trustworthy. Why would someone so connected to Souichi's past and Ikasma be here? And why would she be here _now_? Everything seemed far too coincidental to be a simple coincidence.

"So where's this camp?" Souichi asked. Surprisingly, his words weren't too slurred, even after about three bottles of ale. Then again, they probably didn't contain anything too strong. A small village like this naturally wouldn't have access to potent alcoholic substances. And if they did, they wouldn't have been that cheap. Alternatively, though, he could've just held his liquor extremely well. I hadn't seen him drunk all that often, but considering how long he'd been doing it, having a high tolerance wouldn't have been surprising. Though there was a time whenever I was in his custody that his mind had been completely shot…

"It's in a clearing not far from here," Bust replied. "Maybe half a mile in."

"Rather close to here, aren't they?"

She shrugged. "They didn't seem like very skilled members."

Souichi scoffed. "So Ikasma's getting desperate?"

"No, he's as strong as ever. His men are the ones changing. Getting too overconfident."

"Ah. Unsurprising, considering the power and status being a Blood gives people. I felt that whenever I was one."

"He spoke highly of you," Bust told him. "Even after you left. Especially whenever you avoided him for those two years."

"Well, it does take quite a bit of effort to keep your exact location unknown for that long." Proudness trickled into his voice. It was probably well-deserved, too, considering how ruthless Ikasma sounded.

"Speaking of unknown," Bust said. She glanced over her shoulder to stare at me. "Who's he?"

I blinked at her. Come to think, Souichi hadn't really introduced me back in the bar…

"Him? Just a friend I made while I was imprisoned."

I smiled faintly; he'd called me his friend!

"Oh? What'd you do?"

"I, uh...tried to steal from a royal caravan and got caught," I lied. Hopefully that sounded convincing enough. If I met him while imprisoned, that meant that I had to commit a crime involving royalty. Did I look like a thief?

"Surprising," Bust said. "You look more like a mercenary than a thief."

I did? I wasn't that heavily built.

"Part of his deception ability," Souichi justified.

"Yeah," I agreed. "That way people are more concerned about me beating the shit out of them than stealing from them."

She chuckled softly at that. "How pleasant. Good to hear that you're not with someone totally incompetent, Silver."

"Why're you calling me that?" he asked. "Is it really necessary?"

"Do you want people knowing who you are?" she replied.

"No, but that's quite an outdated title. I haven't been called that since my infant days as a Blood."

She sighed. "Then what would you like me to call you?"

"Well, my most recent title was Tyrant."

How fitting.

"Ah. Interesting. And what about him?" Bust nodded to me. "What's his title?"

"Royal," I said.

"Because of the theft?"

I nodded. "And because in certain lights my hair looks dark blue."

"How creative," she remarked.

I couldn't tell if she'd mocked me or not.

About fifteen minutes of walking later, we were deep enough in the woods that a nearby campsite could've been anywhere near us. Another fifteen minutes passed, however, and we still hadn't stopped. I flashed a concerned glance Souichi's way, though he wasn't looking at me. In fact, he wasn't looking at anything. Not in particular, anyway. Instead his eyes went from side to side every few moments, as if he was expecting something to happen. But what? An ambush? That was a possibility, now that I thought about it. They easily could've positioned themselves in the trees or bushes to assault us. I moved closer to Souichi, who finally spared me a brief glance. Rather than share my concern, however, he just smirked at me. As if to say, "I know what I'm doing.

Did he know he was about to commit a massacre? Did he _want_ to commit a massacre? He said that he was willing to kill, but...but was this necessary? We could've just avoided them. I didn't know how many Bloods there were in the world, but I doubted there would be camps _everywhere_ in these woods. There had to be an alternative. Right?

I turned to him once more to convey my worry, but instead my eyes filled with shock. Souichi thrust his foot to the back of Bust's knee, sending her to the ground with a cry of pain. Before she could recover, though, he lifted one of her arms erect and slithered his around it. One of his feet rested upon the leg that he'd kicked, and from the look of agony on her face, the pressure he placed upon it wasn't gentle.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" Bust growled.

"Don't play this game with me," he hissed back. "You've already lost. I know you're here to kill me."

Every fiber in my being tensed up. How...how did he…?

Souichi continued, "If you really were an ex-Edge, you wouldn't still have your tattoo. Ikasma covers them up if he discharges you."

"I left without him knowing!" she justified.

"Bullshit, you did," he scoffed. "You'd be dead by now if that was the case. He would've hunted you down until he killed you."

"You survived—"

"They thought I was dead," he interrupted. "If that didn't happen, I wouldn't be here now. And you wouldn't be moments away from death."

"No!" I shouted. Irrational, threw my arms around him and tugged back.

"Get off!" Souichi spat. "Let me go!"

"No! You can't kill her!"

"She'll kill me if I don't!"

"You don't know that!"

"Neither do you!" He threw his head back to bash it into mine. In my moment of weakness my grasp on him loosened, and with his free arm he managed to beat me off. "That's why I'm doing this now!"

I felt blood trickle down my forehead, but heart-pounding anger let me ignore it. "You don't _have_ to kill her! If you do anything, just break something!"

"What will that do?!"

"It'll keep you from stooping to Ikasma's level."

For a brief moment I thought his expression showed vulnerability, but he turned away before I could be sure. He grumbled something, then twisted Bust's arm to the point where I could hear the bones crack despite her screaming.

"Tell Ikasma anything and I'll break more than just this," Souichi told her with a voice of ice. Though I was certain he'd shattered every bone from her shoulder to her fingertip, he didn't let go. "Royal. Is there a vial in your bag labeled 'Nighteye?'"

I rooted through the medicines and poisons I'd stolen earlier, and sure enough, a purple-blue liquid with that label rested among the others. "Yeah. Why?"

"Give it to her."

I didn't move at first, but the vial didn't have a skull on it, so I doubted it was excessively dangerous. Popping the cork off the little tube, I poured some of the liquid into Bust's mouth. She coughed and hacked through it all, but after a few minutes her body went limp and her eyes fell shut. Souichi lay her on her back, then started pulling off her clothes.

"What're you doing?!"

"Calm yourself," he said. "I'm not going to rape her."

"Then what're you doing?"

He didn't respond, instead continuing to search through her clothes. He pulled out a sack of coins and threw them to me, but he didn't look overly satisfied. Rather, he looked a bit puzzled. Moments of bemusement later, he snapped his fingers. With less hesitation than I would've liked, he reached between her breasts. More to keep myself sane than anything else, I looked away. I knew he said he didn't have any interest in her, but...jealousy was a sickness that I'd always suffered from.

"Ah! Found it!"

My gaze returned to him. With a victorious smirk on his face, he stood and handed me a note. Handling it as if it was poisonous, I opened the folded paper.

 _You have one task: kill him cleanly and quietly. How you do it, I don't care. He has long silver-blonde hair and radiates anger. He'll probably be drinking. ~Ikasma_

"I told you she was here to kill me!" he exclaimed.

"I see that now," I agreed, tearing the note and tossing the shreds away. "However—" I held him with one arm and grabbed his wrist with the other. "—that doesn't give you a reason to kill her."

"The fuck're you talking about?"

"You were reaching for your knife. Come on. There's enough money in this bag to get us a night at an inn."

"You don't know how this shit works," he muttered.

"I'm not as versed as you are, but you don't have to kill her. She's no threat right now."

"But she could be. Nighteye doesn't last for more than a few hours."

"Then we'll find somewhere else. Do you know of any places near here?"

He paused for a few moments, then nodded. "There wasn't an inn at the village, but I think there's one a few miles from here. Shouldn't take long, and I'm not drunk enough to be a burden."

"Still…" I took his knife from its sheath. "I don't trust you."

"What do you mean, don't trust me?"

"Exactly what I said. You're not overly drunk, but you're still drunk, so your mind's not in the right state. Now come on."

"Give me back my knife first."

"No," I denied.

"Mori—"

"There's still some Nighteye left," I told him.

He scowled at me and growled, "Fine. You're lucky I like you."

I smiled and held him just a little bit tighter.


	5. Chapter 5

This was our life for the next month, and each day I found it harder and harder to keep my wrists slit-free. About four or five attempts had been made on my life since Bust, some more direct with their intentions than others. Three of them had tried to lure me somewhere as she had, but the other two had ambushed us directly, one in the woods and the other in the middle of a road. Both times I ended up winning, but they weren't easy wins. The first fight had resulted in my arm almost getting cut off, though I managed to get out of that one without excessive amounts of damage.

The last fight, however, had resulted in a massive gash that marked diagonally from my right shoulder down to the middle of my back. Luckily adrenaline had acted as a decent painkiller, and I'd managed to drive an arrow through his skull before he could do any more damage to me.

And through it all, Morinaga did nothing.

I could see that he wanted to help. Like something was trying to tug him into the battle, and during the first one he almost had. But fear kept him in place. Fear kept him from hurting anyone. And if it remained there for much longer, fear would kill him.

In a rare show of affection for me, fate had placed an inn about half a mile away from our unofficial battleground. It was a dirty place, expected from an inn placed in the middle of nowhere. All the patrons that sat about the bar on the bottom level looked like they hadn't bathed in decades, and smoke lingered throughout the space like fog.

As Morinaga set about renting a room for probably twice what it was worth, my injury made its presence known. By the time I reached the room and half-collapsed on the bed, all traces of numbing that the adrenaline had accomplished disappeared.

"How badly does it hurt?" Morinaga asked.

I watched as he pulled out the meager medical supplies we'd kept on hand throughout our travels. It wasn't much, but bandages and a few vials of painkilling liquids went far enough if used properly.

"Like a bitch, but it's not that deep," I replied. "I should be fine once you patch me up."

"You should still probably rest for a day. I don't want you to hurt yourself more."

Rolling my eyes, I pulled off my torn shirt and tossed it aside. "I know. Though if we want to stay longer than just tonight, we need money."

"Lay down," he told me. I did as instructed. "How do you suggest we get it? Thievery?"

"Not here. I'm not skilled at picking pockets. Besides—" A hiss grated through my teeth as heat seared my gash. I knew it would help keep it from getting infected, but _gods_ it stung. "—I'm in no condition to get my ass beat again."

"Yeah. And there's nowhere around here to work for the money. So what do we do?"

"Hmm...we could gamble."

"Gamble? Sit up."

The medication still burning my skin, I sat upright. "Yeah. There's no way we'll be able to steal, and I doubt the staff will let us work. There were gaming tables set up downstairs. We don't have much left to bet, but if we play against the right person, we should be able to get enough. You willing?"

He paused in his ministrations. "Me?"

"Yeah, you. I don't want this shit aggravated. Besides, you owe me after you fucked me over."

"How did I fuck you over?"

"By not doing anything. I know you're a pacifist, but you can't just stand back while someone's trying to kill me."

He sounded like a child who had disappointed his parents. "I know. I'm sorry. I was going to help you, but...I don't know...I just couldn't…"

"You're scared. Right?"

"Yeah. I am." He sighed. "I'm sorry."

"You already said that."

"I know, but it's because I mean it. I'm not a fighter. I never have been. But now...now it's making me feel useless. Like I'm a burden on you."

He may have been behind me, but I knew he was close to crying. Though a little more hesitantly than I meant, I scooted back and leaned against him. It felt odd, but I didn't need him crying on me. It'd be...troublesome.

"You're not a burden," I assured. "You're just unconfident in yourself."

"What do you mean?"

I glanced back at him. "What do you think I mean? You're so scared that you're going to be a burden that you're doing shit that's making you seem like a burden. So just build up your confidence and help out in fights and you should be fine."

"It isn't that easy," he mumbled.

"No, but you have to start somewhere if you want to succeed."

"Yeah. But still...it'll take a bit of adjustment. It might go slowly at first, so please bear with me."

I bit the inside of my lip. This would bite me in the ass later. I knew it would. But not having his assistance in fighting would bite me harder. "Well...what if you...had...motivation for it?"

"Motivation?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Motivation."

"What kind of motivation?"

It hurt just to think about, but saying it felt like poison in my gut. "I...what if...if you promise to assist in fighting...I...let you…" I grimaced. "...hold...me...when we sleep?"

Instantly his entire being changed. "Really? You will?"

"Do I have to say it again?"

"No, I won't make you." He put his arms around me and squeezed gently. "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me."

 _I think I do,_ I thought.

* * *

"Thirty-seven."

"Forty-eight."

"Bitch!"

I couldn't hold back a smile as I dragged the coins from the table into my small pouch. Forty more gold to add to the small fortune I'd begun accumulating. The gods had to be smiling on me today. First that offer from Souichi that had made my heart flutter in twelve different directions, now a winning streak of gambling six competitors long. In a mere half hour I'd managed to go from ten coins to over three hundred. This would buy us another night here, supplies for when we left, and lodgings in possibly two more inns. I could've stopped, but gradually the urge of 'I can win anything' crept into me. Luckily, though, this urge carried me successfully through three more rounds and earned me double my gold.

Just as I was about to head back up—six hundred should've sufficed _and_ impressed Souichi—a hand rested on my shoulder. I turned my head upward to view a hooded face.

"This spot empty?" came the persuasive voice. It wasn't snake-like in tone, rather, it was pleasant and brotherly. Almost attractive.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, this is a gambling table, isn't it? I thought my intentions would've been clear."

I hesitated. He didn't seem arrogant, but I had the insatiable urge to snatch away whatever funds he had. Considering what I'd done to him earlier, getting Souichi as much money as possible was the least I could do for him.

"All right," I said, gesturing the seat across from me.

He sat before me and removed his hood. His features matched his voice: attractive. Persuasive. Subtly powerful. Had my heart not already been taken, I wouldn't have minded letting that voice persuade me into bed…

He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place him in an exact memory. Blondish hair, dark eyes, artfully designed—had we had sex before?

"Ready?"

I blinked once, then nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready."

Through my past relationships, I'd picked up a few 'unsavory' things, and one of those things was a game called Chance Roll. The game was simple yet extremely addictive. One die was placed in a cup and shaken, then rolled out onto the table. The number shown is the number of cards each person could draw from the deck. Each of us would add up the values, then reveal to one another how much we had. The higher number won. In the event that we had the same amount, the person who held the highest individual card value would decide what to do: draw another card or roll the die. Whoever won that would win the entire game.

"Why don't we make betting interesting?" he asked.

"How so?"

"Well, how much do you have?"

"Six hundred," I said.

"Ooh, profitable, aren't you? Well, I also happen to have six hundred. So why don't we make this all or nothing?"

I hesitated for a moment. If I won, the payoff would be great. If I lost, however, we'd be worse off than when I'd started.

But he'd want me to continue. I knew he would. My hesitation had gotten him injured, and it could potentially get us mediocrity.

I pulled out my sack and set it on the table. "Let's go, then."

He smirked and pulled out his own.

Thus the game began, and with each passing second I felt the tension rising. Surely I looked like a mess, but my opponent remained calm. The alluring smirk hadn't disappeared from his face, giving me no insight as to his hand. I had thirty-nine in my hand from five cards. Not a horrible amount, but not as high as I'd like.

"Ready?" he asked.

I nodded, though the knottedness in my stomach said otherwise.

"Thirty-nine," I said.

"Forty-three."

My heart sank. I'd lost...everything…all because of my foolishness...

"Don't feel too poorly," he said. "I'm known to be a fearsome opponent."

Dejectedly I stared at my pouch as he grabbed it. His wrist turned, and something flat-looking caught the dim light. Narrowing my eyes, I stood abruptly and grabbed his wrist. Throwing it up, I drew a small blade that I'd kept hidden in my belt and pressed it to his neck. Instantly he froze, but he didn't seem deterred.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Take off your jacket."

"What for?"

I increased the pressure of the blade on his neck.

"You're not threatening me," he said. "I've encountered better threats from lesser forces."

"Blades cut the same, whether wielded by a beggar or prince." Ooh, I sounded intimidating. Souichi would be proud. "Take the fucker off."

He chuckled. "Ah, so persistent. But it's not going to work."

Letting out a soft growl, I thrust his arm forward, sending him out of his seat and onto his back. I followed so I straddled his hips, but before I could make a move, I felt a sharp tip against my chest.

"You're not well-versed in bar fights, are you?" he asked.

"No," I admitted. "Does it matter?"

He shrugged. "Depends. If you're willing to—"

Before he could finish, I jerked my blade up his neck and across his face. He let out a hiss and jerked his head to the side. In his moment of pain, I reached into his sleeve and drew a stack of five cards, each one valued at ten: the highest value in a standard deck.

Despite the nasty-looking wound on his face, he chuckled and rose calmly. "Smart little bastard, aren't you? Well, you caught me. I congratulate you. I've used that trick for years, and no one's ever noticed. Here." He threw a small pouch onto the table. "There's three hundred extra. Call it a reward."

"You had more?"

"Mmm-hmm. Why would I bet all that I had?" He offered me a final smirk before turning and exiting the inn, his wound still bloody.

Two six hundreds and an extra three. Fifteen-hundred gold...and I'd used intimidation tactics…

Maybe Souichi would let me have sex with him!


	6. Chapter 6

"You stabbed a guy in the face?" I asked.

"No, I slashed him across the face," Morinaga clarified.

"For money?"

He nodded.

"Well, fuck, when did you grow balls?"

He smiled faintly. "I'm glad you're proud of me."

I rolled my eyes and made to sit up. "I'm more surprised and relieved than proud."

He placed a hand on my chest to stop me from rising the whole way. "Don't strain yourself. Your wounds could still open."

"I'm fine," I grumbled.

Pressure on my chest increased, though not by much. "Souichi, don't. You're going to hurt yourself."

I stared at him with mild annoyance, but acquiesced with a sigh and lay back down. "Fine. Gods, you're like a mother."

That faint smile returned. "Sorry. I'm just concerned about you." He leaned down and kissed my forehead. I tensed, and redness bloomed across my cheeks.

"W-What the fuck was—?"

His lips moved onto mine, and his eyes closed. Further I tensed and blushed, but when I made to jerk away, my body screamed in protest. He slipped his tongue in, and my mouth tingled from his actions. It felt odd, but...why wasn't I close to vomiting? Why wasn't I pushing through my pain? Why...why was I accepting this…? Why was I accepting him?

I reached my hands up to cup either of his cheeks, but I didn't try to push him off. It didn't hurt, but...I just didn't feel like pushing…

He pulled away slowly, gently, and pressed his forehead to mine. "I love you."

I didn't reply, negatively or positively. I just stared at him. Shocked, appalled, amazed—I didn't know. I did know, however, that the feelings within me were frighteningly foreign.

I shifted a bit under him after he moved, and instantly I widened my eyes. Now ignoring my injuries, I drew my entire body back so my legs were bent in front of my body. He stared down at me with a look of minor concern.

"What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing."

Fucking _everything_ was wrong!

"You sure?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just...you were pressing down and it irritated the back wound…"

If he hadn't been stupid, that wouldn't have worked. "Ah, I see. I'm sorry." He pressed a kiss to my cheek, sending me a little further to the side on the bed. Surprisingly, however, and thankfully, he rose and moved to the other side of the room. I let out a breath and turned my back to him, my face blaring redder than a freshly-beaten ass. He'd...I'd...I...it...it was...he'd…

He'd gotten me _hard!_

And not a little firm, either. No, I could cut rocks with this fucker! All I needed was a little lube and I could tear apart any hole in this fucking world with only a few thrusts!

But he hadn't noticed. That was all that mattered. Everything was fine—

Nothing was fine! A man had gotten me hard! No, not even that— _that motherfucking bastard_ had gotten me hard! From a fucking _kiss_! And it wasn't even intense! It was gentle and loving!

No, no, that didn't cause it. It did on the surface, but it wasn't the real cause. It was witchcraft. It had to be. Yeah, that was it. He'd done it before, too. Many times. Each time we had se—he'd assaulted me. That's how he'd kept me from killing him. Witchcraft.

"How long do you think you need to stay here?"

I looked over my shoulder, but before I could respond, I looked away again. Only after a few deep breaths did I turn to glance at him.

He'd removed his shirt—stolen, as most of his shit was—and currently held it in his hands. A few scrapes marked his skin, a clear product of rougher living. More prominent, however, was the change in his stature. He was toned before, definitely, but now his muscles were more defined and—

Why the fuck was I noticing this?!

He turned his head to look at me. "Well? How long?"

It took me a moment to register what was going on before jolting and replying with, "I-I don't know. Probably a...a day or two. Why?"

"I wanted to know where you were in terms of health. I'm concerned about you."

I looked away again. "Oh...all right…"

"Is something wrong? Your face is red. You're not feeling sick, are you?"

"No, I'm fine. I'm just...I'm fine."

"Just what?"

"Fine. Don't worry about me. Why...why're you getting naked?"

"So I don't smell like shit. The smoke clung to them when I was down there."

"A-Ah...all right..."

"Is something bothering you? You're stuttering a lot. Come here."

"No."

He blinked at that. "Why not?"

 _Because I'm still hard,_ I thought.

"I...I'm still in pain. And I'm a bit tired, too. It's late." I didn't have to lie that time. It was probably around midnight.

"Oh, all right. I won't keep you from sleep, then."

"Good," I mumbled. As quickly and cleanly as I could, considering all the _burning_ that bubbled up from my wounds, I lay on my side and half-buried myself under the adequate but undesirable blanket. I was softening a bit now, and in a few more minutes I'd be fine. I just needed a bit of rest...then the witchcraft would wear off…

As I'd suspected, I went limp after laying down for a few moments. With a sigh I closed my eyes, and I felt sleep creep over me.

But then _he_ came in, and it all went to shit.

He'd been considerate enough to put another shirt on—I didn't have one, so I could feel—and to keep pressure on my back light. But he still held me from behind and pressed a kiss to my ear and a bunch of other shit that pissed me off.

"The fuck are you doing?! Let me go!"

"You said I could."

"When?!"

"Whenever we were talking about the fight earlier. You said I could hold you each night of this journey if I assisted more." His tone sweetened a bit. "I'm just doing what you said. Didn't you say that I should listen to you?"

Fuck, he was right. And if I fought him, I'd be a hypocrite. So I just let my shoulders sag and sighed. "Fine. But you try anything—"

"—you'll castrate me. I know. Don't worry, you'll be safe. You can't enjoy it if you're in pain."

"Mmm-hmm." He sounded so concerned...it was kind of...nice…almost...desirable...

Why was he so cruel?

* * *

Gradually the searing in my injuries decreased, and after three days they were gone entirely. Morinaga's gambling talent—where it came from, I didn't know—had earned him extra-powerful painkillers that had helped me survive. For that, I thanked him. For each night of his "love," however, I seethed. I'd awoken twice to him twisting my hair in various fashions, though one of the times I didn't scold him. The way he'd done it kept my bangs away without making me look excessively feminine or shitty, so I, again, had to thank him. Despite his overly-cheery nature, he'd proved much more useful than I'd thought at first.

So after I loaded up on enough drugs to kill a few horses, we ended our stay and set off once more on our trek to our hideout.

Er... _my_ hideout.

In terms of length, it wasn't a great journey. I couldn't be exact, but I had a relative idea of where we were. We'd reach the place in three, maybe four days by walking.

And walk we did, for _days_ within hours. It wasn't necessarily arduous, but we walked in relative silence. Not by coincidence, however. No, I meant for the lack of words. Anything I said would just turn into some lovey bullshit that didn't relate to the original subject in the slightest. Fucking prick and his witchcraft…

"I have a question."

I glanced his way. "What about?"

He hesitated for a moment. "Well...Ikasma—"

"Don't talk about him," I interrupted.

He stiffened, affronted. "Why not?"

I sighed. "What do you want to know?"

"Just in general...do you know if he sent other spies after us?"

"I don't think. Why?"

"Well, we didn't kill Bust, and it's been a few weeks, so...well, it's been a bit too quiet. We haven't been attacked directly by him yet, but we probably will be soon."

"And whose fault would that be?"

He blinked. "What?"

Gods, he was stupid… "Whose fault would it be if we got attacked?" I grated out. "Who was the one that said not to kill her when we had the chance? Whose fault is it for letting him win?"

Now defensiveness leaked into his tone. "Who said he'd win?"

"Everyone."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. It's obvious."

"No, it isn't. There's a chance that we can still avoid him for—"

"Stop with this!" I shouted, turning to face him. "Stop with your optimistic bullshit! It's real, Morinaga! The threat of _me, you,_ or _both of us dying_ is _real_! He has better numbers, better skill, and better connections than we'll _ever_ have in this situation!"

"That doesn't mean we've lost!" he retorted. "You're smart enough to evade the issues that he can create! You evaded him once—you can do it again!"

"No, I _can't_ ," I stressed. Why couldn't he see how hopeless this was? "I evaded him by _chance_! Not intelligence! Not skill! _Chance_! I could've _died_ doing what I chose to do then!"

"But you still evaded him for two-and-a-half years! That's not a short period of time, especially considering his reach! Stop doubting yourself!"

"Shut up! It's not a matter of doubt—it's the truth! I _can't_ avoid him! He's too powerful, these woods are too _fucking_ large, and we're too powerless!"

"No, we're not! You're just scared of being hurt!"

"Bullshit!"

"Admit it! You are!"

"Fuck you!"

"Say it, for fuck's sake! You're scared of dying! You're _scared_ of letting him win!"

" _Shut up_!"

Without thinking, I lashed out and cracked the back of my hand across his face. He jerked to the side from the impact. Only a moment later, sharp pain stung my cheek, and my head whipped to the side. My feet frozen in place, I reached up and touched my cheek. When I examined my fingers, I saw blood on the tips.

I turned my head a bit to the side, and I viewed blazing anger flaring in Morinaga's eyes. Our gazes remained locked for what felt like hours, the stillness perpetuated more by my shock than hesitance.

And then I lunged.

* * *

I caught Souichi by the shoulders when he came at me, but he grabbed me by the neck and sent me down before I could stop him. His fingers curled into a claw-like shape and gashed by face, but the assault didn't last long. I managed to grab his hand and threw him back so I could make to rise. He was more nimble than me by far, but in terms of raw strength, I held the upper hand.

I'd managed to crouch, but only a moment later he tackled me again. Before I could even lift my head, his fists bombarded me with punches. I couldn't open my eyes, so I just flailed about blindly until I heard him grunt and felt him stop. My eyes flashing open, I backhanded him across the cheek and managed to rise from the ground.

He pounced on me once more, but I managed to grab him by the sides and throw him down before he could do any damage. All the frustration that he'd ever caused me now fueled my strength. Every insult, every assault, every denial of love—all of them raged in me.

And it was far too dangerous for either of us.

I could beat him to death if I truly wanted to, but that was by no means my intention. I just wanted to beat the anger out of him. Based on the rage in his eyes, however, my efforts weren't working.

"Grew balls, did ya?" he spat. From his belt he drew his knife. "Be a shame if they fell of, eh?"

I stiffened a bit and widened my eyes. Shit, this was bad. He couldn't beat me to death, but he could damn well stab me to death. I had to stop him, and fast.

He came at me again, and I just barely managed to evade a blade to the face. After his failed stab, he quickly slashed, and that managed to slice open a decent-sized gash on my cheek. I let out a few curses; _fuck,_ that hurt.

He swung again, but this time I managed to grab his arm before it could reach me. He made to punch me, but I also grabbed that arm before he could inflict any damage. Not letting him gain even a second's advantage, I moved myself behind him. One arm went around his waist, and the other remained firm on the arm that held his knife.

"Drop it!" I shouted.

"Make me, bitch!" he hissed back.

I tightened my grasp on his knife-holding arm and twisted. He hissed and growled, but without hesitation he jerked his body about in an attempt to break free of my hold. It pained me to think of it, but despite the risk of breaking his wrist, I kept my grasp on him tight. I couldn't let him keep this up—he'd hurt someone, either me or himself.

"Drop the fucking knife!"

"No! Let me go! Fight me!"

"I'm not gonna keep fighting you! Just stop already!"

"I'm not a pussy!"

I narrowed my eyes and gritted my teeth. I couldn't stay this way forever, and if I let him go, he'd stab me. However…

Keeping my hold around his middle tight, I leaned down and ran my tongue up the rim of his ear. He gasped, and his body tensed, but his grip on his knife remained tight. This didn't arouse me, but hopefully the contact would weaken him enough to let me take his blade. Using my foot to spread his legs apart a bit, I pressed my crotch into his ass and thrust gently. Another gasp escaped his mouth, and I could feel him tremble. Just a little more and he'd let it go—I knew it.

Using the hand on the arm that held him by the waist, I palmed his crotch gently but firmly. He continued to fight, but I could tell it was futile. He was far too sensitive to resist for much longer.

A moment later, he proved me right.

With a final thrust, his body spasmed, and he dropped the knife. I kicked him in the back, then turned him around and pinned him to the tree. With a final knee to his stomach, he collapsed to the ground on his ass. I crouched atop him and pinned his wrists above his head, using the other to clasp it around his neck.

He scowled up at me, panting away his blush.

"You done?" I asked.

He spat in my face and hissed, "Fuck you."

I tightened my hold around his throat and wrists. He flinched and gasped for air, pinching his eyes shut tight. I didn't enjoy hurting him, but what else could I do? He'd beat the shit out of me unless I did it first.

"Are you done?" I whispered.

"Fuck...y—"

Again I tightened my hold. "I'll rape you," I threatened. "Right here. I'll destroy your insides to the point of no repair. I'll ask again: Are you done fighting me?"

Something akin to terror in his eyes, he gasped out, "Fine…"

Nodding, I released him and retrieved his blade from the ground. I didn't trust him at all with this. Not after he'd almost stabbed me and sliced my head off. Until I was sure that he'd calmed himself, I'd be keeping it.

Over my shoulder I looked, and I viewed him still slumped against the tree. He massaged his bruising neck, and redness still marked his face. His breaths came in pants, and it looked like tears were welling in his eyes. I wanted to go over and hug him, but he'd probably just fight me again.

"You all right?" I asked.

"Fuck you," he rasped. "I hope you die."

I simply nodded and looked away. It seemed that I wouldn't be able to cuddle with him any time soon.


	7. Chapter 7

That piece of shit...what the fuck was he thinking, fighting back? Why now? I'd assaulted him countless times before, yet _now_ he fought back! Hard, too. He easily could've broken my bones, had he twisted harder. And that end threat...would he really have done it? Would he really have raped me?

No, of course not! He knew my value to him was far greater than that of a sex toy! He was a pussy, too, so he _definitely_ wouldn't have followed through with it. He was stupid, but by no means was he completely hopeless. I knew that; so why didn't I keep fighting him?

Morinaga had left me with the tree, though I didn't know where he'd gone. Not that I wanted to know, of course. That didn't matter to me. Though...well, he _did_ still have my knife—I suppose I wanted that. But not him. No, he could—and should—die, and I'd be fine with it. Even if he was relatively useful…

Wiping my face of sweat, I rose. Wherever he'd gone didn't matter. What mattered was all the dirt and shit on my skin and in my wounds. I couldn't see my face, but I knew I was cut in at least two places, and they weren't necessarily shallow. I couldn't let them get infected—not when we were in the middle of nowhere. Granted, I didn't have any type of soap, either, but water would at least assist in cleansing me. There should've been a pond nearby…

So I went searching, and what I found was even better: a miniature waterfall. A little stream cascaded down a rock shelf, pouring off into pond before flowing down another tiny stream. Wonderful. Now I could be clean _and_ undisturbed. Finally, something good happened to me.

Looking around to ensure that no one was nearby—Morinaga or otherwise—I removed my clothes and set them on the bank of the pond. Those were filthy, too, but I could deal with that for a few more days. If we continued onward for a few days, we'd undoubtedly reach a village or at least a campsite. They'd probably have soap.

Under the waterfall I went, and though extremely cold, the water was beautifully refreshing. I stared forward into the rock. Was I wrong? Should I have agreed with him about Ikasma? No, he was definitely wrong! I wouldn't be able to escape if he came after me again. Though we'd abandoned the castle awhile ago, my month of torture had still taken a massive toll on my body. I wasn't completely helpless, nor was I worthless, but whenever I'd escaped Ikasma the first time, I'd been in peak physical condition. Right now, I'd be lucky if I was half as strong as I'd been then. By no means could I put up a decent fight against Ikasma now. So Morinaga was definitely wrong there.

However...did I really want to kill Morinaga? That question had plagued me even while I was actively trying to kill him. Now that I'd calmed myself, I saw that I didn't actually want to kill him. Who else would I have to take my aggression out on? Though I suppose killing him would've been the ultimate stress relief...regardless, killing him wouldn't have been beneficial. It'd save me headaches, but it wouldn't save my life. As I was a little weaker than I'd been in the past, having someone to assist me was beneficial. That is, if he ever decided to actually fight. It didn't seem likely, considering his history, but after experiencing a beating from him myself, he was a great asset. Besides, he wasn't that unpleasant to have around, if I thought about it. I'd been around imbeciles for most of my life, and though he was no exception, at least he listened more than the others had. Plus, he was concerned about me, not just himself, so that made me happy.

I flinched and widened my eyes. Did I just think that he made me happy? What was...no! No, he didn't! He pissed me off more than anyone else had ever done before! Well, except Ikasma, perhaps. Ugh, that didn't matter! He was a dick, regardless of how much use I could get out of him.

I exhaled and ran my fingers through my wet hair. Just a week or so longer—that's all the longer this would last. Then I wouldn't be stuck with him forever. I could go about my business, and he could go about his, and there would be no obligation for me to stay near him. Just a week longer…

Once I'd finished rinsing myself, I stepped onto the grass and looked around. As far as I could tell, no one was nearby. Excellent. There was no threat of being spied on, by Morinaga or otherwise. With a sigh, I used my cloak to dry myself off—I was fine if it was wet, since it wouldn't touch me directly—and clothed myself.

Leaves rustled in front of me, and my head shot to the side. That wasn't the wind; the air had been still for the past few hours. It wasn't an animal, either; it was far too large of a noise. I narrowed my eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I called. "Come out!"

Another rustle, this time from behind. I looked back, but yet again I saw nothing.

"Don't fuck with me!"

I turned forward again, but this time I didn't view the clearing. Instead, I viewed another person. He was a little taller than me, with reddish-blonde hair and piercing eyes. A mask covered his mouth, and a massive scar marked his face. A belt of knives hugged his waist, and a crossbow was slung over his shoulder. Something about him seemed familiar, but with that mask on him, I couldn't place it.

"Who the fuck are you?!"

He smiled underneath the covering, but he didn't say a word.

Growling and clenching my fist, I lunged for him. Before I could even get close, he grabbed me and flipped me onto my back. I hit the ground with a thud, my wounds from Morinaga screeching in agony. I got to my feet as quickly as I could, but by the time I was ready to fight back, he'd disappeared.

Breathing heavily, I looked around, but I saw no one. It was as if he'd never been there in the first place. Though wary, I untensed my muscles and donned my damp cloak. He looked like a common woods bandit, but something about him was different. It was...his air. It just felt more skilled than a common criminal's would have. He held weight, though I wasn't sure I knew of the exact area in which it was held. Perhaps he was a new criminal. No, that couldn't have been it. He seemed far too powerful to have just started out. He probably had years of reputation under that knife belt.

"Souichi!"

I looked over my shoulder to view Morinaga approaching. Turning fully, I faced him, and he stopped right in front of me.

"You bathed?"

"As best as I could. I didn't want my wounds festering."

"Yeah, that wouldn't be desirable." He touched one of the cuts on my forehead. "They've closed, but they still might open. Let me patch you up."

I jerked back from him. "Haven't you touched me enough already?"

He blinked a few times. "Well, we have no mirrors out here, so I didn't know if you could bandage yourself accurately."

Shit, he was right. Though mildly fuming, I sighed and said, "Fine."

He sat me down and withdrew the bandages from his supply bag. I looked down as he wrapped the bandages around my head and arms.

"What're you doing?" I grumbled.

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you being so gentle? I'm not helpless."

"I know. I just want to make sure I don't irritate your wounds. Besides, there's no urgency right now."

"Yeah, there is," I told him. "Right before you showed up, someone attacked me."

He stiffened at that. "What?!"

"Shut up," I hissed. "He might still be here. I heard some rustling, and he showed up out of nowhere. I tried fighting him, but he flipped me. After I got up, though, he was gone."

"What'd he look like?"

"Wasn't much to see in the face. Greenish eyes, red-blonde hair, bigass scar across his face—knife wound, probably. Mask covered the lower half of his face. A little taller than me, and he looked like he carried some type of weight."

"Knife wound across the face?" His tone was shaky.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well...when I was gambling, I kinda...fought someone. Remember?"

I widened my eyes. "You think that was him?"

"I don't know for sure, but it's a possibility."

"Let's hope. That wasn't my first thought."

"What was?"

"That...it could've been Ikasma."

Morinaga stiffened. "Ikasma?"

"Yeah. He kinda looks like that. I can't be sure, since I didn't see his face, but...well, it'd be best if we left here as quickly as possible."

He nodded in agreement, and as soon as my wounds were covered, we left.

About a week and a half later, we reached a familiar neck of the woods— _my_ neck of the woods. This was where my ring's hideout had been. Joy filled me. Finally, we'd be separated! Finally, I'd be able to return to my previous life! Finally, all the struggle and anxiety and danger would be behind me! I could regain my strength; that way, if Ikasma _did_ attack me, I could fight back much better.

We'd only entered the woods ten minutes ago, but already I ran—no, I _sprinted_ in the direction of the hideout. Morinaga trailed a bit behind me, but at this point, I didn't give a shit if he was still walking. Nothing mattered except reaching the base.

Eventually, I reached the end of the pathway, and the base before me stood half-burnt with decomposing bodies surrounding its remnants.


	8. Chapter 8

He took off running far quicker than I had anticipated, quick enough that he seemed like a blur in the forest. Before I could fully conceive what had happened, he was far ahead of me.

Rather than dash forward like a madman, I walked at a brisk pace. This was a happy time, definitely. Souichi and I had reached—I assume—our new home. We'd be living together, albeit somewhat distantly, for the foreseeable future. However, it was also a sad time for us—me in particular. Though the past few weeks had been horrendous and arduous, it was also nice to be alone with Souichi. He'd been more or less depending on me throughout this journey, and I had been depending on him. A strong bond had formed between us, regardless of how much he denied it. I could see it in his eyes, ever since he'd gotten injured.

No, it had all started even before that, back in the palace when he'd been my "slave." We were bonding long before this had even begun. Initially I'd considered him hostile and belligerent; no matter how beautiful he looked, I couldn't deny that. However, after being arrested and almost killed, he'd opened up exponentially. Perhaps the whips and chains of torture had broken down his facade, or maybe he'd had a moment of realization by himself that the facade was unnecessary. He claimed that he didn't trust me at all, but I knew he was lying. If he'd had no trust in me at all, he would have abandoned, injured, or killed me the moment we escaped together. But no—he'd kept me alive, and he'd even protected me. Part of me even wanted to believe that he loved me. But I knew that he wasn't ready for that yet. At best, he was a close friend—or, at least, _he_ viewed our relationship that way.

Before I knew it, I'd reached the clearing. Standing beside me was Souichi, who stared forward with wide, shocked eyes. I followed his gaze, and it soon mirrored his.

The fortress he'd used as a hideout had been a bit broken-down before, but what currently stood was by no means regular wear. Only about a fourth of the fortress stood standing, with just one tower and a bit of the building attached to it watching over the rest of the destruction. The stones and wood were dark, I believed, but now blackness scarred and covered the rubble. A fire—no, a _massive_ fire.

Also scorched and charred were the dozens of bodies lying about the ground. The corpses were all male; or, at least, they looked that way. Some were so badly decomposed or burnt that it was difficult to tell. Maggots and flies feasted on and flew around the corpses, some of which were eaten down to their bones. Though dried blood and ashes covered most of their clothing, I recognized some guard uniforms. So there had been conflict along with the fire. That, or the conflict had spawned the fire.

I turned my gaze to Souichi, who had his head in his hand. His body shook, though not necessarily out of tearful trauma. No, it was almost like…laughter…?

He crouched to the ground, his head still hidden in one hand and his body still shaking. Little noises escaped from his mouth, and they could have been either sobs or chuckles.

"Ah...Souichi?" I asked. "Are you...are you all right…?"

He didn't reply at first, instead just remaining on the ground. Gradually, however, the noises grew louder, and I determined that those noises were indeed laughs. They started relatively mild, sort of like chuckles of disbelief. But in an instant, they evolved into massive cackles. Loud enough, the cackles forced birds out of their trees. He threw his head back, releasing the full force of his hysterical laughter into the air. Onto his back he fell, and he banged his fist on the ground.

"They did it!" he shouted. "Those pieces of shit actually _fucking did it_!"

"What?" I asked. "What did they do?"

He didn't respond at first, just continued laughing. It became loud enough and constant enough that I grew worried about someone hearing us. However, after about five minutes, Souichi calmed, and he panted as he stared at the ground.

"They fucking did it…" he breathed. "They took it seriously…I was joking…"

"What?" I repeated, a bit louder this time. "What the hell is all of this?" I gestured toward the apparent massacre.

He looked up at me, a bitter smile on his face. "It's a massacre," he told me somewhat pleasantly."

"I can see that! Why are you laughing? Everyone died!"

"No, no, it's fine," he mumbled, rising from the ground.

"How's it fine? Your men are all dead!"

He shook his head. "They're not my men, Morinaga. They're random bodies."

I stared. "So random people were killed…?"

"No, they've been dead for awhile." He turned toward the massacre before us. "Basically, I once proposed a strategy to combat something like the royal caravan finding us. Undoubtedly, if I was taken, everyone else would have been taken or killed eventually. So I told them to stockpile corpses, keeping them somewhat preserved in an underground storehouse. When the royal—or criminal—threat came, they were to scatter the bodies, make it look like there was conflict, and burn the fortress to the ground. Thing is, I didn't actually mean for that to be the real strategy. However, it seems like it worked."

"So…where are they now?"

He sighed, and an annoyed look appeared on his face. "Well…there is a secondary base…in Reinorok."

I stiffened. "What?!"

"It's the only way to completely avoid the law in the kingdom. It's deep in the asscrack of Reinorok, though, so...we're looking at about another two months by foot."

Though my shoulders sunk, my heart skipped a beat. Two more months alone with Souichi! Joyous times!

"We should probably try to find some horses, though," he continued. "That'll take a great deal of time off. Assuming we find some tomorrow, and assuming we don't get stopped along the way, we'll be able to reach it in about one month."

"That does sound more ideal." Hopefully we wouldn't find any mounts for a decent amount of time.

"For now, we should probably stay here. My tower's still intact."

"Was that intentional?"

Souichi grinned at me. "No. I've just trained them all well."

He looked like an animal trainer crazed with gambling fever. I took a step away from him. "Well, in any case…why stay? Isn't it better to keep moving?"

"In most cases, yes. But I've been homesick for the past while. May as well stay a night here to cure that. It's not good to travel sick." He clapped me on the shoulder before moving toward the tower. "Come on. We can get drunk together."

My heart tingled with a sense of familiarity. Hopefully I wouldn't be hung naked from the top of the tower again…


	9. Chapter 9

"Do you even know what these are?" Morinaga asked as he gazed at the wall of bottles.

"Ah...vaguely...I've forgotten my system, to be honest…" Brown on top, green in middle, blue on bottom...I knew they were wine, ale, and questionable drugs, but I couldn't remember the correlation of colors. Shit...now I looked even more stupid than I had when I didn't know how to read...and in front of _him_ nonethe—

Why the fuck was I embarrassed? It wasn't like he was going to make fun of me. Shit, he'd probably sympathize with me. I wonder...why...didn't I feel threatened by having him here? After all, this was where he'd assaulted me first, and this was what had caused it all. Well, I suppose that he hadn't really done anything sexual for awhile...hmm...maybe he was finally getting better!

No, that wasn't it. He still looked at me with the intent to kill—or, at least, maim. Was...was _I_ changing?!

"The brown are the aphrodisiacs, right?" Morinaga asked.

I jumped, but I managed, "Ah, yeah...because...they, uh…" I snapped my fingers. "Make you feel like shit! That's why!"

He stared. "What…?"

"Nothing. I didn't remember for a moment if they were brown or blue. The blue is wine because it's whining means crying and green was the color of ale-filled vomit."

"Very...creative way of thinking."

"I couldn't read, so I had to get creative with memory." I grabbed about three bottles of the green. "Take whatever, but leave the brown. Not sure if all of these are good, but I've drunk worse with better people."

"Any preference?"

"I don't even know what most of these are," I admitted. "We'll have to see by taste."

After gathering about six bottles, three each, we traveled to what had previously been my bedroom. They'd gutted the bitch for the most part, though the mattress on the bed and a curtain remained. That'd help us—er, me—sleep through the night.

I about collapsed atop the pathetic excuse for a bed, and instantly the neck of the bottle went deep into my mouth. Some type of fruity liquid filled this one, something like strawberries. It had definitely aged, but I couldn't tell—or care—if it had done so badly. At this point, getting blitzed off my ass sounded exquisite.

My companion drank with more hesitance, though he didn't take gentle sips like a pansy anymore.

"I have to ask," Morinaga said.

I looked his way but kept drinking. "Hmm?"

"You were...excited when we came here. Why?"

I topped off the liquid before responding. "Well, I'm not particularly fond of dirt coating my body and bugs gnawing away at my sanity. That, and it's safer behind walls than between trees. Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering." He drank again.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What's wrong now?"

"What do you mean?"

"You look bothered. Why?"

"I'm not bothered, I promise," he assured with a smile. "I'm more relieved than anything. I was afraid I was the reason why you were so excited."

I shrugged and sat up. "Well, you aren't that useless. Aside from the time you let me get my ass beat, you've been really helpful."

He looked away. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" he mumbled.

"Not at all," I replied, glaring at him. "That shit _hurt_."

"I know. I'm sorry." As I opened my second bottle, he said, "How drunk do you plan on getting?"

"'Til I can't see colors anymore," I replied.

"Is that really the best choice? If we're leaving tomorrow, you wouldn't want a massive hangover."

"Such a loving wife you are," I mumbled. Still, he was right, so I took another swig before setting it down.

He chuckled softly and set his bottle down, too. "How sweet that you consider me such a close companion."

I looked at him, but before I could say anything, he took me in his arms. I stiffened instantly.

"My biggest fear is that you'll consider me useless and throw me away like trash."

"How heartless do you think I am?" I asked.

"Well, you just have a survival mentality, so...I feared that if I threatened your safety you'd throw me out."

"Stop with the trash metaphors. You aren't trash." In a mumble I added, "You're moderately attractive…"

He paused for a moment, then hugged me tighter. "Souichi…!"

"Not that way!" I denied. "I-I meant that your appearance could be useful in persuasion!"

He laughed openly and hugged me tighter. "I love you so much. Even if you are in denial, you're still wonderful."

"Deni—?"

He pressed his forehead against mine and captured my lips with his own. I stiffened even further, had such a feat been possible, but something was odd. This didn't feel like an attack, or even as a threat. It almost felt...nice…

Whether voluntary or not, I did not know, but I could feel my body relax. He leaned forward, and I leaned back, but instead of resistance, acceptance supported the movement downward. His tongue slithered its way into my mouth, and though it did feel disgusting, I didn't gag like I'd used to. My face heated as he explored familiar territory, and I could feel a bit of warmth off of his cheeks, too.

My back hit the mattress, and Morinaga crawled atop me. His hand slipped underneath my shirt, and my body flexed underneath his touches. Tilting his head to the side, he deepened the kiss tremendously, his saliva mixing with my own. His fingers pinched one of my nipples, and a rush of shock shot through me. I whimpered, and he moaned.

Gently he broke our kiss, though his lips still traveled across my cheek and to my neck. "Am I allowed to continue?" he murmured, nibbling gently on my flesh.

I let out a soft moan. "W-Why...do you ask…?"

"Up until now, I feel like I've been forcing you into it. I want consent out of it. If you say no, I won't continue. Just be honest with me, Souichi."

Honest? Hadn't I done that up to this point? Oh, maybe he meant because of the alcohol. That impaired judgment, I knew.

Whether it was the alcohol or denial, I wasn't sure, but I mumbled out, "G-Go…ahead…"

I could feel the smile in his little kisses and bites. He forced me to tilt my head to the side, and the hand previously under my shirt now worked to unlace my tunic. Even the slightest graze of fabric against my skin made me shudder, my senses heightened by his sensual touches. The laces that held my shirt together only did so at the top, but it was enough for him to gain access of my chest. And access it he did, trailing his tongue across my skin to leave a shiny trail in his wake. Unconsciously I spread my legs open, and he must have taken notice, since he chuckled softly against my left nipple.

"Excited?" he murmured, taking the nub of skin in his mouth.

I let out a moan and arched my back. "Sh-Shut up…"

Again he chuckled, but he didn't continue to jeer me. Rather, he rose a bit and took off my tunic completely. I'd expected him to proceed with assaulting my torso, but instead he slipped off my worn pants and undoubtedly filthy underwear, leaving me completely bare beneath him. A gloss appeared over his eyes, but it wasn't one of murderous intent. No, it was…kind of…loving…

His clothes followed mine, and only then did I truly see how much his body had changed over the journey. He'd been strong before, definitely, but his body held a different kind of bulk now, one that came with little scars and a few bruises here and there. Come to think, I'd felt his arms strengthen earlier, when he'd hugged me. It was good to see how well he'd adapted.

"You're sure?" he asked, running his hands up and down my sides.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "Go ahead…"

He smiled softly. Two fingers he placed into his mouth, and once they'd been coated in saliva, he spread my legs apart and slipped them into my ass. I tensed at first, the foreign objects sending anxiety in me. Only after a few moments, however, my insides relaxed, and I let out a sigh of relief. It didn't feel bad...hell, it even felt...good…

Deeper he went, until finally he brushed against the spot that always sent my senses into a maelstrom of electricity. This time was no different, although it did seem more powerful than ever before. That power sent me into a moaning fit, one that I couldn't stop no matter how hard I—wanted to—try. He groaned softly as warm noises trickled from my mouth, and surprise filled me at how unashamed I was.

Moments later he withdrew his fingers, and the tip of his member replaced them at my entrance.

"Ready?" he whispered.

My eyes pinched shut, I nodded once.

He slid into me smoothly and easily, so much so that I barely felt any pain. By the time he started thrusting in and out of me, all discomfort had given way to intense passion and heat that heightened my moaning. His thrusts were forceful, but they weren't ravaging, allowing me to experience pleasure along with him. My dick pulsed and throbbed the faster he went, and I felt that I could release at any moment. He leaned down and kissed me, albeit messily, with intense passion.

"Souichi," he breathed. "How does it feel?"

I wanted to reply, but I couldn't bring my mouth to form the words necessary to do so.

Something popped within me, and in response I jerked my body upward and burst onto Morinaga's abdomen. Warmth poured into my ass, and something else I couldn't identify gushed into my heart.

Before I could question it, or even savor it, I floated down from my cloud of passion. I fell flat onto the mattress, and after pulling out of me, Morinaga followed suit. He didn't crush me by any means—it actually felt nice to have his body warming mine. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around him, and I closed my eyes.

Perhaps our little extended journey together wouldn't be so bad after all.


	10. Chapter 10

Give or take three hours of sleep passed by, and when I awoke, simultaneously I felt the intense warmth of affection and the intense urging of my bladder.

Granted, I'd downed a few bottles of wine and/or alcohol, so this was to be expected. I made to move, but heavy presences against my back and atop my waist prevented me from getting very far. I turned my head, and my eyes viewed a peacefully sleeping Morinaga. He looked like a child in the face, all innocent and shit. His hold was firm, but it wasn't excessively tight or smothering. It actually felt...nice, I guess.

But _fuck,_ I had to piss!

As carefully as I could, I untangled myself from Morinaga's hold. As he slept, he attempted to reach for me. Luckily, though, he just grabbed a pillow and hugged it tightly.

 _Just like a child,_ I thought.

Quietly, I slipped on underwear and a cloak. I planned on returning immediately after pissing, but I didn't want to freeze my balls off. I needed those.

With quick steps, I walked down the stairs and out into the destroyed courtyard. We had a moderately complex system of pipes and drains in the fortress, but considering the damage, my piss would probably just stay in a hole for twelve years. Outside was the best option. After all, everything was already dead, anyway.

The night was cool, but not nearly warm enough for me to go without outerwear. Clouds drifted about in the night sky, and stars peered down at me. I released the beast in my boxers and rained golden liquid upon the grass. A relieved sigh drifted from my mouth. This was the greatest feeling I'd experienced since the sex earlier!

I blinked.

I'd... _enjoyed_ the sex from earlier?

No, no, that wasn't true! I was drunk! Everything felt good when I was drunk! That was the whole point of drinking in the first place!

Three shakes of my dick later, I composed myself and kicked some dirt over the wet spot. The flow had been intense enough to put a hole in the ground. I turned my head, and instantly my body followed in a jump.

Before me stood the bastard in a mask that I'd met earlier in the woods.

I took a few steps back. Fuck, I hadn't thought about a weapon! My fists were pretty strong on their own, but he had about eight knives and ten crossbow bolts to accompany the weapon. Running was out of the question—he could paralyze me with an arrow to the knee.

We stood before each other in stillness. My eyes drifted to the scar on his face. It looked horrendous, but it also looked recent. Perhaps he hadn't received it days ago, but he hadn't had it for years. Weeks, probably, and it was only from a regular knife. Bar fight, probably, or maybe gambling.

"You gonna do anything or just stand there?" I asked. Part of me didn't want him to do anything, though, since that would undoubtedly lead to violence directed at me.

He continued to stare, and the longer he stared, the longer I remembered. He was a few feet away, but the glint in his eyes was powerful, dominant, and shakingly familiar. A rotting feeling entered my stomach, one of fear and alarm.

"What do you want?" I asked.

He continued to stare.

"Answer me!" I shouted. My eyes shot to the only tower intact. Morinaga was my only chance of assistance! "I have men watching you! State your business or be killed here!"

"Do you?" he asked.

My body stiffened, and my eyes widened. That voice…his features...those _eyes…_!

"Last I checked, your men are in Reinorok. This place was completely razed in order to prevent the arrest of your men following _your_ arrest by the royal guard. Ah, but I suppose that arrest was rather short-lived, wasn't it? Your little ally managed to call the age-old catch-all called Captive's Choice. Who was that ally again? Ah, yes, Prince Tetsuhiro Morinaga. He made slavery the alternative to your execution. Oh, but that was also rather short-lived! You both escaped from the palace by faking your deaths in the catacombs. Ever since, you've been moving closer to your old home. After discovering the reality, though, you realized that you still had quite the journey left. And here we stand, together at last after nearly three years of separation. You look well, _Silver_."

I wanted to run, but my legs remained fixated in place.

"You recognize me! I can't say I'm surprised, really. I was going to remove my mask, but it looks like I don't need to."

"You...what...what is this?! How did you find me?!"

"The same way I find everyone: through an extensive network of spies and an _extremely_ intense desire." Ikasma took measured, intimidating steps forward. He smiled softly, almost lovingly down at me. "I have to admit, you've been quite the thorn in my side for years. You're the only person to ever escape me, Tatsumi. Few have done that, let alone for so long. Usually I kill them after about a month."

He pulled out one of his various knives, the most savage-looking of them all. He didn't utilize it, though, just held it in place. Around me he stepped, twirling the blade between his fingers.

"You know, I could do it right now. You have no weapon, nor do you have any protection, whether on or around you." Lightly, gently, he trailed the tip of the blade down the back of my head. "But...I quite like seeing you this way, Tatsumi. You look so cute when you're terrified." He pulled the knife away from me. "I'll keep up this little game for a tad longer. Your and your lover stand no chance against me, Tatsumi. You may have been able to fool me once, but by no means will you do it twice." He sheathed his knife and stepped in front of me once more. "Ah, and one last thing. Being a poor host is a rather terrible offense. I believe death enjoys blood to drink. Do be sure you prepare."

He chuckled darkly, then strode off.

My eyes remained fixated on him, but very quickly they looked to the tower. Morinaga...had my screaming not awoken him? I guess it didn't matter. It'd wake him if it was right in his ear.

I turned my head to where Ikasma had been walking, but he'd disappeared into the air. Floating about the ground was a piece of paper. With trepidation, I picked up the scrap.

 _Neither of you are safe,_ it read.


	11. Chapter 11

A groan rumbled in my throat as my eyes opened. Souichi's former bed was surprisingly comfortable, considering that I remembered the fortress as being little more than a large shack. Of course, it was by no means a palace bed, but considering that we'd been laying on the ground for the past few weeks, it was heavenly.

Memories of the night before trickled into my mind, and a smile curled across my face. Ah, Souichi had been so cute, not to mention willing. For the first time since we'd met, our lovemaking had been completely consensual from both ends. He was a bit drunk, sure, but he couldn't claim rape. He was in control of himself completely, both physically and mentally. Though I did have a bit of control over him for a tad...

I squeezed the object I held, and a frown replaced my smile. My arms hugged a pillow, not a toned, beautiful body. Over my shoulder I looked, and I viewed the object of my affection sitting on the bedside. His back was bent, and I could tell that his head was in his hands. How long had he been there? Based on the light outside, it was at least nine in the morning. He had on his underwear, too, as well as a cloak. He'd gone outside? For what?

Sitting up in bed, I said, "Souichi?"

He jumped a bit but didn't turn. "Oh...you're up..."

"Yeah...and so are you." I scooted closer to him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing..."

He mumbled that word, and weakly, at that. Frowning deeper, I moved beside him. A cigarette rested in his mouth, and a tiny trail of smoke plumed from it. His eyes were bloodshot, and shiny trails stained his cheeks.

"Souichi, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with," he whispered. His voice was shaky and broken.

"Yes, it is." I removed his cloak and moved behind him. Around his waist my arms went, and I kissed his cheek. "What's wrong?"

"Mori—"

"Tell me," I insisted.

He looked down again, then sighed. Putting out the cigarette, he lay back against me. "Fine. I'll tell you." He bit his lower lip, then said, "I...last night, I went out to piss, and...well...I met...Ikasma..."

My eyes widened. "What?!"

"Don't start shouting," Souichi mumbled. "I'm hungover and didn't get a lot of sleep."

"Sorry," I apologized. "But...Ikasma? Did he attack you?"

He shook his head. "No. We just talked."

"Civilly?"

"No, not really. He essentially told me that he's going to kill me. My fears were confirmed." He swallowed. "And...I don't think he's just targeting me." He handed me a slip of paper.

 _Neither of you are safe,_ it read.

I looked back to Souichi. "He's going to...try killing me, too?"

"Looks that way. Look, if you...want to leave, you can. It'll be safer for the both of us."

"Don't talk that way." I kissed his cheek. "You'll be safe, Souichi. Both of us will be. We just have to move quickly and can't let our guards down."

"It's a death trap. We'll both get killed either way!"

"Stop this," I ordered. "We already fought once because of this. I love you, and I'm not going to let him hurt you. He's menacing, but you're not the same person you were when you were under him! You're stronger now, Souichi. And you're not alone."

He looked like he wanted to fight further, but his shoulders slumped, and he relaxed in my hold. "All right. I'll trust you."

I smiled. "I'm glad."

"I guess he's gotten into some trouble, though. He had a massive scar on his face." A soft chuckle drifted from his throat. "Come to think, didn't you slash someone across the face awhile ago? Back at the inn?"

"Yeah, I did. He had a weird air about him, especially his eyes. They were almost...hypnotizing, I guess. They made me want to listen to everything he said."

He didn't reply at first. "Morinaga...what did he look like? The guy you slashed?"

"Um...reddish hair, I think. About as tall as me, had an oddly ominous and cryptic way of speaking. He held some money out on me, too, and cheated while we played."

Souichi stiffened, and a worried mumble escaped his mouth.

"What?" I asked.

"Morinaga...that was...so that's how he knew you..."

My body went solid with his. "You mean...I attacked Ikasma...?"

"Yeah...looks that way..." He practically tore his hair out of his scalp. "Shit, now he has a motive to kill you, too!" Despite his words, Souichi didn't sound too worried. Instead, he sounded...happy? "You managed to intimidate him! _You_ managed to intimidate Ikasma enough for him to think of you as a threat!"

"You're not worried?"

"Oh, of course I am! But I have more confidence in you now! You've insulted him in the greatest way possible. You gave him an injury that everyone will be able to see. That's basically spitting in his face and beating the shit out of him in front of his subordinates!"

"Ah...I see..." Truthfully, I was deeply confused and somewhat troubled by him. But the depression that loomed over him for the past few weeks finally seemed to subside.

I squeezed him tighter and placed my forehead on his shoulder. Memories of last night once more entered my thoughts. He was wrestling with many demons, definitely, from Ikasma to me. The former wouldn't go away for a long time, most likely, but the latter...I could definitely do something about that.

"We should go early," I said. "We can cover more ground that way."

"You're sure? I'm kind of...extremely tired..."

"I could carry you," I offered.

"You're that strong?"

"Strong enough."

He hesitated, then said, "No, I'll be fine. Just get me a little alcohol and I should be good."

 _You will be,_ I thought. _I'll make sure of it._


	12. Chapter 12

A monstrous blaze raged behind us after departing the next morning. Souichi had insisted we light the place on fire to cover our tracks, and while I didn't see the value in it, I agreed. Provoking him was something I usually did unintentionally, but in this case, I couldn't afford to do so. After what had occurred last night...as much as he hated my affections, he needed them now more than ever.

Following his return to me the night previous, Souichi had only slept for about an hour. Even after spiking his energy up with a bit of alcohol, he still did little more than trudge along beside me. I'd offered to carry him, just as I did last night, but he still refused—cutely, of course, but sternly.

"We need mounts," he grumbled.

I looked his way. "Hmm?"

"Mounts. Rides. Transport. We need some. 'Specially with Ikasma confirmed to be on our asses now. Open travel's too dangerous. Next place we reach, we're either stealing or trading for some fucking rides."

The anger in his voice bubbled higher and higher the more he spoke. I simply nodded. Even after doing it for so long, stealing still didn't appeal to me. It didn't faze Souichi in the slightest; then again, he'd been doing it for seven years. That, and he was naturally colder than I would ever be.

"Do you know how far we are from the nearest settlement?"

Souichi shrugged. "Thinkin' 'bout...three miles or so away. Not sure. Been awhile since I've traveled in these parts." He looked my way with little better than a glare. "I want none of your altruism."

"I won't get in your way," I assured. "Don't worry."

"You make it hard," he mumbled. "But I guess you're useful."

I smiled softly. No matter how naturally cold he was, he still managed to warm me with even the smallest of actions.

Noon spread across the sky when we found a village. Nothing major, definitely—just some thatch houses with little yards behind them. None were outside, save for a single man clad in homespun clothing.

And he stood before a horse.

"Well, fuck, look at that," Souichi said with a bitter laugh. "It's occupied."

"Does that truly matter?"

"Well, if you wanna get away without getting caught, yeah. Villagers are a simple people, especially when they're this far out, but they can be ferocious. If we get a mob after us, we're probably gonna get killed."

"We can't pass this up," I said. "We may not find another town for miles."

"I know." He sighed, staring at the ground with his hand over his face. "We're gonna steal it, for sure, but I'm not sure how."

I gazed at the man and horse. "I have an idea."

"Shoot."

"You said that villagers were simple-minded, right? What if we use that to our advantage? One of us distract him while the other takes the horse."

"Not a bad suggestion," Souichi said. "I'll talk. You'd fuck it up."

He wasn't wrong by any means.

I circled around the small houses as Souichi strode casually up to the man. I couldn't help but watch with bated breath as he neared. He was in such a poor mood—would Souichi truly be able to keep up a pleasant facade for that long? No, he wouldn't be the issue; I would. I had to act quickly and quietly; the longer he had to speak with the simpleton, the more bitter he'd become.

I reached the home of the man we were about to steal from. Some barrels provided me with cover, and I peered behind to stare at the horse. The villager stood right beside it, and Souichi had just approached him. The pleasant look on Souichi's face almost made me laugh. It looked so out of place!

They spoke for a tad. I sat too far away to hear their exact words. Souichi nodded behind, and after shrugging, the villager followed my companion away from his mount.

The next few minutes occurred in a blur.

I darted out from behind the barrels and up to the horse. Keeping one eye on Souichi and the villager the whole time, I untied the horse from the fence. It started trotting away, but I managed to soothe it with a few soft words. Wasting no time, I mounted the animal. The saddle wasn't tremendously ideal, but it was better than nothing. I clicked the reins and led the horse away from the home.

Sharply I turned to the left, and I didn't cease until I reached the trees. Hopefully, Souichi had been watching me as I abandoned the village. Otherwise he didn't know my whereabouts.

About ten minutes passed, and footsteps rushed my way. I wrapped my fingers around my knife, but I released my grip moments later. Souichi panted as he walked my way, leaning against the horse for support.

"That was painful," he mumbled.

"Are you all right? Did he attack you?"

"No, but I attacked him. After you rode away, I knocked him out and ran straight here before anyone else could see."

"Ah, I see. Well, get on."

He stared up at me, then shook his head and stepped closer. I assisted with pulling him up onto the mount. Little grumbles trickled from his mouth as he placed his hands on my sides. A tiny smile appeared on my face, and never before had I been more excited to ride on a horse.

* * *

We rode on until nightfall, and my happiness grew as the ride continued. Intentionally, I'd sped up our mount to an almost dangerous speed. Of course, that meant that things had gotten a bit...bumpy. Unless he wanted to fall of, Souichi had to wrap his arms the whole way around me, and he had to squeeze like he meant it. The heat radiating from Souichi's cheeks filled me with intense warmth, and it took all of my being not to harden. That would have taken all of the pleasure out of it.

No clearings showed themselves to us, nor were there any villages or towns nearby, so our best option was to sleep amongst the trees. This we had done many times, but for the first time, Souichi spoke out against the idea completely.

"Why not?" I asked.

"It's too dangerous to stop now," he said. "We have to to keep going."

"We have to stop," I countered. "I know it's a dangerous situation, but it'll be more dangerous if we don't sleep. We'll get careless, and that'll make us easier targets."

"Then why don't we take turns sleeping while we ride?" he suggested.

"That won't work," I denied. "What if one of us slips off? Besides, the animal needs rest, too. It'll go slowly if it doesn't sleep."

"But it's easier to kill if it does sleep. Same with us. Maybe you're fine with being attacked and killed, but I'm not. You can stay here if you want."

I exhaled in a heavy sigh. He truly was the most stubborn person I'd ever met.

My eyes drifted away from him, and they trailed slowly up one of the trees. Relatively low to the ground was a thick, strong branch concealed by leaves.

"You don't want to sleep down here," I said.

"What, are you deaf now? Of course I don't!"

"What about up?"

He stared at me. "Up?"

I pointed to the branch. "That branch is thick, and we're not that heavy. We should be able to sleep up there."

"In the tree? Won't we fall?"

"We have rope, don't we? We can tie ourselves to the tree to prevent that from happening. The leaves will give us cover, too. With the night being so dark, we shouldn't be seen from below."

He regarded me warily, then said in a similar tone, "All right. I guess it'll work."

I smiled. Finally, he would sleep properly.

After grabbing the rope from the saddle, I clambered by way up the tree and seated myself on the branch. Souichi followed suit, but he paused right next to the branch.

"What?" I asked.

"There isn't enough room," he said.

I looked down. "I guess I do take up most of the length…" A smile appeared on my face. "I guess we'll just have to share it."

He stared. "Share? But there's not enough room."

"Maybe not sideways, but—"

"Are you...implying that I sleep...on _top_ of you?"

I nodded.

He looked down. "Fuck you, I'm finding my own branch."

Whether it was exhaustion or otherwise, I didn't know, but a dark feeling rolled through me. I narrowed my eyes and grabbed his wrist before he could climb down. "Why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why are you so against it now? You've let me hold you each night since we made the promise. Why try weaseling out of it now?"

He widened his eyes. He knew I was right, and he knew that he couldn't talk himself out of the hole he'd just dug for himself. "I...fine…"

I released his wrist, and he positioned himself atop me. In a tandem effort, we fished the rope around the trunk and tied it in front of ourselves. If either of us started to fall, it should have been able to stop us. If not, it could at least jolt us awake in time to save ourselves.

I snaked my arms around him and rested my head on his shoulder. Heat radiated from his cheeks, and he turned his head away from me.

"What's wrong?" I murmured.

"Do you have to be so fucking close?" he mumbled.

I sighed. "Why are you so against my affection now? You were so willing to accept it yesterday."

"That's...I…"

"Because you were drunk, right?" I asked. "Then what about the other times? You've gotten far more accepting of me. Why are you so uncomfortable now?"

"I don't know," he mumbled.

"Don't lie to me," I hissed. "It won't get you anywhere. I love you, Souichi, and I only want to help you understand your own feelings!"

"Bullshit! You're using me for my body."

"Just for your body? Then tell me something: would I have saved you from execution if I only wanted your body, which was beaten to the point of being grotesque by that time?"

He didn't reply, instead just looking down.

I squeezed him tighter. "I don't want to hurt you, nor do I want you to hurt yourself. You do destructive things, and I don't want that to continue. You've wrapped yourself in thorns and chains, and I don't want to watch you bleed anymore. Just tell me why."

"You want to know so badly?" he whispered. Little tremors radiated from his body. "Fine. I'll tell you. It's _terrifying_."

"What is?"

"This! This...enjoyment I get from your affections. I lived my life without ever finding anything or anyone attractive. I only fucked when drunk or pressured from others. But then you came along and started fucking with my mental state and now I'm disgusted with myself for liking this arrangement! We both have dicks! This isn't how it's supposed to go!" He tilted his head back with a sharp exhalation. "I don't know what to do! And you want to 'try to help me understand?' You have no idea what this is like! What if a woman started showing you affection and you started liking it? Wouldn't you be emotionally devastated, too?! I knew my chances of a normal life were shot seven years ago, but I didn't think this would be killed, too!"

His voice cracked on the last word, and his head lowered. A tiny sniffle drifted from his nose, and tiny sobs from his mouth.

I stared at the back of his head with a cold pain in my heart. He'd given me exactly what I'd wanted: honesty. But to think that his honesty was like this...

"You're not disgusting," I whispered. "I think you're just scared of change, honestly. You've gone so long thinking and feeling a certain way, and now that it's all changing, you don't know how to cope." I tightened my hold on him. "I never meant to hurt you, Souichi. I honestly wanted to help you. But I see now that I've just troubled you."

He shook his head. "That's...not it..."

"What do you mean?"

"It's...I've been...unreasonable, I suppose...in a few ways..."

Only a few? That was all he thought?

"You're...really helpful and kind, and I'm really grateful for having you. I think I would've killed myself by now if you weren't around, even if you do add to that urge sometimes. You're a bastard, but at the same time you're a good person. I'm not used to having faith in humanity, so having someone like you around...it's odd, truly."

I couldn't help but smile. It was backhanded beyond belief, definitely, but this was the best form of honesty he could give me. He'd always need excuses for everything—that was the reality of things. Maybe he'd never accept his true feelings for me. He didn't seem like the type of person to confess easily, if at all. Regardless, I knew the truth that lay within him: he loved me, even if only a little.


	13. Chapter 13

I woke first the morning after we rested on the tree. Surprising, truly, considering that I'd been the one deprived of sleep two days prior. That, and I'd done some sobbing the night prior that I was not proud of. My eyes had burned all through the time I'd been awake, and they still ached a little now.

Though I intended to glance over my shoulder, I found that I didn't need to. Morinaga's head rested there, drooped over a bit from sleep. He snored gently, lightly, and it tickled my ear in an admittedly delightful way. With a sigh, I leaned back a bit and stared off to the horizon. The sun crawled its lazy ass over the line, gradually giving the world more light. If it could hurry itself up, that would be excellent.

My eyes drifted downward, and I saw our horse nibbling on some grass near the base of the tree. Well, at least no one had stolen it. This was a rather remote location, but that didn't mean that thieves couldn't prowl about. We'd have to hide it a bit better from now on. Without a ride, we had nothing.

I reached back and shook him. He grumbled a bit, but he didn't stir. I sighed. Why'd he have to be a heavy sleeper?

We were too close together and too inconveniently tied up for me to punch or kick him effectively. So I did the only thing I could do: I grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked with the ferocity of a screaming toddler.

His eyes shot open and he let out a cry of pain. I released his hair, and he rubbed the spot I'd just grabbed. "What was that for?" he mumbled.

"To get you up," I replied. "It's daybreak. We should go now to avoid vulnerability."

He nodded in agreement.

In tandem, we untied ourselves from the tree and climbed down. After a bit of snacking on some food we'd taken with us from the hideout before we'd burned it, we mounted and rode onward.

"We shouldn't be too far from where we need to be," I told him as we clopped along. "One of the trees back there had a symbol carved into it. I marked a couple of these trunks when I got this backup place to ensure that I remembered where it was."

"You have excellent foresight," Morinaga commended.

"I know," I said proudly. "That's why I'm still here. That, and my ferocity."

He chuckled softly.

As we were so close to the hideout, we let our mount go at a somewhat slower pace than the day previous. This was familiar territory, and the sense of dread that had filled me all this time was finally diminishing. This was the end of it all. These past few months of horror were finally over.

"You carved all of these symbols?" Morinaga asked.

"Yeah," I affirmed. "Kind of crude, but they're supposed to look like weapons."

"What does the eye mean, then?"

"Eye? What eye?"

Morinaga ceased movement of the animal, and he pointed to a nearby tree. "That one. It looks rather intricate."

I slid off and approached the tree he'd pointed to. Surely enough, a rather large eye had been carved into the trunk. My fingertips ran across the carving, and my eyes widened.

"Shit," I whispered. Withdrawing a small knife from my belt, I spun and tossed it sharply in front of me. Morinaga moved his head to the side as it whizzed past him, a look of horror on his face.

"What was that?" he shouted.

"Get off the fucking horse!" I yelled back. "There's an archer in the trees!"

He jumped off the animal without asking any questions, and the moment his feet hit the ground, the mount fell with an arrow lodged in its head.

"You're no fun, truly," spoke a disappointed voice. "Then again, I can expect no less from a rat like yourself."

My body tensed, and all dread that had left me flooded back into my body tenfold. Morinaga shared a similar look, but his more resembled disbelief than fear.

The branches of the trees rustled, and with slow, calm steps, a man stepped out into the clearing. He radiated power and persuasion. His gingery hair fell to his shoulders, and his aqua eyes were piercing. A massive scar marred his face, but it did nothing to affect the smirk on his lips.

"Masaki?" Morinaga spoke.

"Been awhile, prince," he said. "Last we met, I was dripping white liquid all over you. That is, prior to the little incident on my face."

"Masaki?" I questioned. "What the fuck do you mean, 'Masaki?'"

"That's his name," he replied. "I met him awhile back when I went...exploring in the capital…"

"You...you _idiot_! That's Ikasma!"

The ginger chuckled, his smirk not dissipating from his face. "Isn't that cute? Getting all flustered by your lover's past sexual encounters. Very unlike you, Silver. Rather... _disgusting_ , even."

I clenched my fists and narrowed my eyes. "How long?" I whispered.

"I assume you mean following you. Since our little encounter two nights ago, of course. What, you didn't think I'd lose you that easily, did you? Especially when you were so close to safe...I couldn't just go back on my word. That would be dishonorable."

"What do you know about honor?" I spat.

"Enough to know that letting someone who's insulted you live is the height of dishonorable actions. So I've come to kill you. Perhaps your companion, too, depending on how he acts. Royal bones fetch a heavy price, especially when they weren't collected by the crown."

The tension holding me back snapped, and without a single thought in my head but aggression, I dashed toward him. His smile widened, and he deflected my attempted punch with relative ease. Fuming considerably more than I just had, I kicked him in the ankle and managed to elbow him in the shoulder. He fell, but he grabbed my hair and threw me down with him. I landed on my stomach, but he'd landed on his knee, and he had a knife in his hand. He lifted his arm, but a kick to the side of the head sent him down.

"Get up!"

Morinaga's voice managed to jolt me back to my feet. He stood over Ikasma and lifted his foot to kick again, but Ikasma dodged with a roll and brought his knife across the back of Morinaga's leg. He fell forward with a twisted cry, his hand pressed against the gushing gash.

My eyes remained fixated on him, worry filling me. Before Ikasma could do any further damage, I withdrew a knife from my belt and threw it his way. It'd been awhile since I'd done that, but it landed in his shoulder, and that was enough to turn his attention back to me.

By the time he'd turned to me, though, I'd already grabbed the knife and twisted. Ikasma grimaced, but he still held a blade of his own, and that blade he used to open a gash across my chest. I stumbled back, but my grip remained tight on my weapon. I'd landed a hit on him; I could land more if I stayed focused. But Morinaga…

He elbowed me back, forcing the blade from his shoulder, and though he grunted in pain, he remained strong. He flipped the knife in his hand to hold it sideways, and yet again he slashed my chest to form an X. I stumbled a bit more, but I clashed with his knife before it could land on me again. I knew what he was doing: he was toying with me. He could've killed me easily, but he hadn't done so yet.

And he wouldn't, either.

I spun my arm in a circle to parry him. Just as I'd separated us, however, he grabbed my knife-wielding arm and twisted. A sound akin to that of a dying animal's last scream burst from my throat. Bones cracked, and intense pain shot through me. Wrapping another arm around my waist, he lifted me from the ground and tossed me like a sack of flour. I landed on my stomach, all traces of air knocked from my lungs in an instant. I made to get up—I _had_ to get up. But I couldn't bring my unbroken appendages to do so.

I could feel him behind me, above me, and I knew this was it. He was going to stab me to death in a slow, painful display and spew something philosophical about dishonor. I'd failed. Failed to avoid him, failed to survive, failed to protect Morinaga…

A closer presence hovered over me, and my body tensed in preparation for a blow to a vital region. As much as I tried to hold them back, tears welled in my eyes. I was going to die…

A few seconds ticked by, and nothing had happened. Something dripped onto my sides, but it wasn't raining. What was…?

I turned my head, and my eyes went wide.

Above me, positioned on his hands and knees, his head lowered, a knife through his back, was Morinaga. A surprised but pissed Ikasma stood over him.

"What're you…?" I turned onto my back beneath him.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help more," he whispered back. "But...I guess saving your life is the greatest help I could give you. I'm sorry, Souichi…" He fell atop me limply, and I caught him with the one hand that hadn't been shattered. He was...he killed himself...for me…?

"How noble," Ikasma mumbled. He hooked his boot beneath Morinaga's body and practically flicked him off. "Such a romantic—"

All traces of fear gone from me, I withdrew the knife from his back and jabbed it deep into Ikasma's kneecap. As he fell back, I grabbed another knife and did the same to the other kneecap. That fool...he'd killed himself! And it was my fault!

No...it was _his_ fault _._ _All of this_ was Ikasma's fault!

He'd landed with his back against a tree, and there was no way he'd be getting up. Not now, anyway. I withdrew another blade from his stash. Taking both of his wrists in my unbroken hand, I pinned them above his head, then impaled them both in place. He grunted and groaned, but laughter trickled from between his teeth.

"I should've killed you when I had the chance," he mumbled. "I was foolish, imprisoned by hate and driven by arrogance. Go ahead, Souichi. Kill me. Just like I killed your precious _lover_. You've earned it."

"No," I said. "I'm not going to kill you."

"Ah, I see. Leaving me here to rot and die on my own, then?"

"You're right. Killing you is something I've earned. But death isn't something you deserve." I rose to my feet, holding the shoulder of my broken arm. "No, I'm not going to kill you. I'm going to completely ruin you by exposing _everything_ that you've done to the government."

"You're a fool! You're supposed to be dead."

"I didn't say I'd be doing the exposing directly. But you were right about me leaving you there to rot. At least for a time. Can't have you weaseling your way out of this. That would be dishonorable."

Satisfaction pulsed through me, but it was quickly overwhelmed by worry. Morinaga…

I dropped beside his body. Blood still trickled from his wound, and he looked lifeless. His eyes were closed, though; just like he was sleeping…

"Who's out here?" a voice shouted.

I looked up from Morinaga's body. That voice…

"Isogai!" I shouted back.

Footsteps hurried from the left, and never in my life was I happier to see the bastard before me. "What the fuck...when did you—?"

"A lot of shit happened," I mumbled. "I'll tell you later." I looked down at the corpse once more. "I have...things to deal with now, though…"

"That's the prince, isn't it?"

" _Was_ ," I corrected. "He's dead."

Isogai tilted his head to the side. "Are you sure? He looks like he's still breathing."

"I'm doubtful," I mumbled. Just to humor him, I placed my hand to his chest to feel his heart.

Never before had more joy filled me than at this moment.


	14. Chapter 14

I awoke in a haze of throbbing in my back and pounding in my head. My eyes gazed up at a ceiling, and based on how it felt, my body lay in a moderately comfortable bed. So this was death. It was far less...sparkly than I'd anticipated. More beige, too. And heavier. Well, this disproved all human interpretation of religion that I'd ever known. Not like I paid close attention to them in the first place, though.

I sighed and closed my eyes. I was dead, I knew, but I also knew that I'd died in a noble way. Souichi would be able to live now. Would he be broken-hearted, I wondered? We'd been together for a little over a year now, and we'd been through quite a bit in that time. My capture, his capture, his torture, our escape, our fight—looking back, none of those experiences were positive, but the experiences were ours and ours alone. And I wouldn't have shared them with anyone else.

My head rolled to the side, and my eyes opened once more.

And they landed upon a sleeping man with long blonde hair.

Had my body not been as pained as it was, I would have sat straight up. Instead, I settled for staring with wide eyes. He was...here? He'd died, too? How?! There was...he couldn't have lost...!

"So you're finally up."

I turned my head again. Pouring what looked like tea into a cup was a man with blonde hair and a look that naturally seemed to hold ulterior motives. He smiled at me pleasantly, mischievously, as if he was holding back a laugh. I knew him. He'd been one of the other bandits that worked with Souichi. His name was...what was it?...Esoga? Isogay? Something like that. But why was he here?

"It's been a day and a half since we dragged you back here. I was almost worried. He hasn't left your side since we patched you up, either." He gestured to Souichi with the hand that held the cup, which he took a sip from. "Feel like shit?"

I stared at him. "I'm...alive...?"

"Yeah. What, did you think this was the afterlife?"

"Admittedly, yeah..." I shouldn't have said that; now I looked foolish.

"Understandable. You were stabbed in the back. Nothing vital was hit, though, so your biggest danger was bloodloss. I have to say, though, whatever you two have been through must've been intense. I've never seen Souichi so concerned about anyone but himself before."

"Concerned?" I asked.

"Yeah. Surprising to hear, I know, since he's so selfish. Well, I'll leave you alone for now. Wouldn't want to disturb your recovery." He winked at me before exiting the room.

I turned my gaze back to Souichi. He looked so peaceful, sleeping beside me, as if nothing bad had ever occurred. A day and a half...what had occurred while I was unconscious? Gently I reached up to caress his cheek. His face hadn't been injured at all; that was good. Bandages and scars wouldn't have been pleasant sights to awaken to. I pressed a kiss to his forehead. If my body didn't ache so badly, I would have pulled him into my arms. He was so beautiful…

My eyes drifted down, and I took note of his attire. He lacked a shirt, but bandages covered his chest and stomach. They were clean now, but at one point, they'd probably been stained with blood. Not only that, but a sling wrapped around his upper body to hold up his right arm. That's right—Ikasma had broken it in the fight. At least it wasn't enough to require amputation.

A sigh of relief passed my lips. He was here, and he was alive, and so was I. Once again, I kissed him, but this time on his lips. We were alive, and we were together. Hopefully, we were safe.

Soft grumbles met my ears, and I pulled back from my lover. His eyes drifted open, and they gazed at me blankly. He blinked a few times, then sat upright in his seat.

"You're alive?" he whispered.

I nodded. "Hurting, but alive."

He sighed and looked down. "Thank the gods," he mumbled. "You were barely breathing, and you were bleeding so much…"

"Don't worry. I thought I was dead, too." I stared at his arm. "Ikasma…"

"He's not an issue anymore," Souichi assured.

"You killed him?"

He shook his head. "No, I did something worse. After you blacked out, I stabbed both of his kneecaps and stabbed his wrists to a tree. A few of my more generic-looking underlings found some authorities and brought him into their custody. Last I heard, he's being transported to the capital in heavy restraints with even heavier escorts."

"Why didn't you just kill him?" I asked.

"Too merciful." He twisted his lips. "Why did you call him Masaki?"

A bitter smile appeared on my face. "I didn't recognize him when I gave him the scar, but I've known him for awhile. He was a friend of my brother's in childhood, but he left nobility in his adolescent years to pursue freedom. I suppose that freedom led him to build up a criminal empire. We met a few years after he left, and he taught me a few things. Lockpicking, mainly. In exchange, we had a bit of sex. I feel disgusting now; if I would've known everything that he's done—"

"Don't fault yourself for it," Souichi said. "You didn't know me at the time, anyway, so you would've just seen him as a criminal."

"I suppose you're right," I mumbled. A soft smile appeared on my face. "I'm glad we met."

"Really?" he asked. "Even though I've almost gotten you killed repeatedly and made you leave your previous life for a criminal one?"

"I left willingly," I said. "You would've been killed, and I would've been miserable without you. Besides, my brother hates me. I would've driven myself to suicide eventually."

"Don't say that shit," he mumbled. "You don't know what you're getting into."

"That may be so," I agreed, "but I know that I'll be getting into it with you. If that's the only positive thing about life here, then I think I'll be fine."

"You're insane."

"Maybe. But so are you. Keeping me at your side despite me being useless…"

"You weren't useless," he denied. "You just weren't used to this lifestyle at the time. You're a lot better now than you were three months ago."

"Three months? We were traveling that long?"

"Something like that. I tried to keep track the best I could. Anyway, you're a lot more valuable than you think you are. You're strong, you're motivated, and you're selfless. Perhaps the last thing isn't a criminal trait, but it's nice, too. I know that you won't betray me."

"You should know that anyway. I love you."

He nodded and looked away. "Yeah, I know. You got a shitty way of showing it, though. Jumping in front of me like that...what the fuck's wrong with you? You could've died!"

A sheen covered his eyes, and I sighed. Outstretching one arm, I wrapped it around him and pulled him closer. "Don't cry, Souichi."

"Fuck you," he spat. "I'm not going to cry."

I hugged him tighter. This was the man I loved. He was extremely bitter and horrendously dishonest, but that was only on the exterior. Underneath all of that, he was caring and sweet. And now, he was mine for the rest of our lives.


	15. Chapter 15

"It's coming down really hard, isn't it?" Morinaga murmured into my ear.

"Yeah," I agreed. We sat a decent distance away from the mouth of the cave, where my eyes currently lingered. A torrent raged outside of our stone refuge, just as it had for the past hour. Thunder and lighting battled together in the otherwise black sky.

We'd been on our way back to the hideout after selling some illegally-made drugs to another bandit ring not far from us. Kidnapping and ransom proved profitable, but it had also almost resulted in my death. After recovering from my injuries, I decided the production of drugs, poisons, and medicines would be better. I'd always had a fascination with agriculture, after all, and I'd done it prior to switching to kidnapping. Six months later, we were profitable and relatively safe.

The rain had started an hour ago, but we'd managed to find sanctuary in this cave before it could get too bad. A small fire crackled in front of us to illuminate and warm the space. Further warming us was our current position. Morinaga had his back against the cave wall, and I had my back against his chest. His arms wound around my middle, and his head rested on my shoulder.

In the past, I would have been on the edge of vomiting the entire time, but after all that we'd been through together, I didn't mind anymore. At this point, I'd known him for about a year and a half, and I'd grown far more attached to him.

"Are you comfortable?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I assured. "You? I'm not crushing your balls, am I?"

He laughed softly. "No, not at all. This is extremely nice." He tightened his hold on me, and he sighed in my ear. "I love being alone with you like this."

"I can tell." I let my eyes drift shut, and I relaxed against his broad body. "It's been more difficult, now that I'm back to my normal life and all. I feel like I've been neglecting you."

"I don't mind," he said.

"Really?"

He nodded. "Ideally, I'd be able to stay by your side every minute of the day, but I know that's not a reality that will happen any time soon, if ever. Sharing a bed with you each night and working as your assistant is enough. Better than suffering in the woods for three months straight."

I smiled softly, bitterly, and leaned my head back. "It's been a year and a half since this shit started, right?"

"Just about," he affirmed. "Truthfully, I was more relieved when I saw you than I was fearful. Back when you first abducted me, that is."

"Really? Why? Because I was attractive?"

"Well, that, and the fact that you weren't extremely threatening," he admitted.

"Weren't threatening? I almost hung you naked off of a rampart for your little stunt."

I could hear the embarrassment in his voice. "Now that you mention it, I do remember that now..." Now a smile. "Even so, you did show me a gentler, softer side of yourself. I'm still surprised you didn't know how to read."

"Fuck you, I was poor," I spat. "I'm still surprised I let you take advantage of me like that."

"Aw, don't sound so cruel. I thought we were finally getting past you seeing me as a selfish rapist."

"I am," I mumbled. "I'm channeling my thoughts at the time. Anyway, then came the little betrayal of my brother...I'm still bitter about it now..."

"I can see why," he agreed. "But you shouldn't dwell on that forever. It was mine who threatened them. And mine who caused you such horrible suffering. After seeing you dragged up from your month of torture...I was afraid you'd die before they could execute you."

"I was, too. Fuck, I was more afraid of dying without first saying a proper 'fuck you' to everyone there than anything else. Then you pulled that magic shit that got me free."

"My little 'slave,'" he chuckled. "It was nice having you around, though. Less lonely. But I knew we couldn't stay for long."

"Pretty brazen, though, faking your death and mine. That could've gone to shit really quickly if you weren't careful."

"Believe me, I was terrified through the entire thing. Even through our journey together, I never stopped being scared."

"I was, too," I admitted. "Though not for the same reasons as you, probably."

"I don't fault you for that. I don't think anyone would, either." He kissed my cheek. "And now we're here."

"Yeah. For the first time in my life, I'm not scared of being attacked or killed. Well, not on an everyday basis, anyway. Part of that's your doing, too."

"My doing?" he asked.

"Yeah. Your...reliability and kindness are...nice to have around…"

He placed another kiss to my cheek, and I continued to look away from him. "I'm glad to hear that. That was my goal the entire time—I wanted you to grow appreciative of me." He tightened his hold on me and lowered his head. "Think the rain's going to stop any time soon?"

"Probably not. Even if it does, it'll be shitty to travel through. The mud, especially. I'm not in the mood for trudging. We can stay here until morning, if you want. You seem tired."

"Not tired," he denied. "Just affectionate."

"Do you...want...sex?"

He laughed softly. "No, I'm fine. Unless you want to."

I shook my head. "I'm fine with this."

"Do you mind if we lay down?" he asked. "My back's getting stiff."

I scooted away from him. He lay himself on his side, and I positioned myself beside him. He held me from behind once more, and I couldn't keep my face from reddening. Warmth coursed through my body, and the origin was the man behind me. He tugged gently, and I turned myself to face him. With gentle hands, Morinaga shifted my position so my face stared at his chest.

"I love you," he murmured, bringing our lips together. Flooding me once more were intense, pleasurable tingles.

His eyes drifted shut, and mine did the same. A few moments ticked by, and his breathing grew deep and even. Peeling open one eye, I lifted my hand to touch his cheek. My lips touched his for a brief moment. Barely audible, I whispered, "I love you, too."


End file.
